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"Within  three  days  you  will  be  glad  enough  to  choose" 


A  Gentle   Knight  of 
Old  Brandenburg 


By  CHARLES  MAJOR 

Author  of  "When  Knighthood  Was  in  Flower," 
"Dorothy  Vernon,"  etc. 


ILLUSTRATED 


THE  MACMILLAN  COMPANY 

1909 


COPYRIGHT,  1909 
By  THE  MACMILLAN  COMPANY 


Set  up  and  electrotyped.    Published  September,  1909 


TOT  MASON-HENRY  PB 

SYRACUSE,  N.  Y. 


TO  MY  WIFE 


2131095 


LIST  OF  ILLUSTRATIONS 

"Within    three    days    you    will    be    glad    enough    to 

choose  "     Frontispiece 

' '  I  have  a  word  to  speak  with  you,  my  friend  " 20 

The  old  man  shook  his  cane  and  growled  savagely.  ...  7.1 

"Would  you  not  risk  death  for  your  lady  love?" 148 

"I'll  beat  you  if  you  don't  keep  still!"  shouted  the 

king 166 

Instantly  a  tremendous  commotion  arose  in  the  Tabagie  186 

Irate  Majesty  hurled  it,  cabbage  and  all,  at  the  prince's 

head    238 

The  margrave  stood  a  very  statue  of  warning 304 


A  GENTLE  KNIGHT  OF  OLD 
BRANDENBURG 


To  a  great  majority  of  persons  having  the 
good  fortune  to  possess  an  imagination,  prin- 
cesses as  a  class  are  exceedingly  attractive. 

Long  ago,  kings  and  princes  were  found  to 
be  of  the  earth  very  earthy,  and  the  fact  that 
the  clay  of  which  they  are  made  is  nothing  bet- 
ter than  what  in  the  human  pottery  might  be 
called  " Common  Adam  Yellow"  has  become  so 
well  known  that  romance  and  male  royalty  have 
grown  to  be  things  apart,  even  to  the  imagina- 
tive mind. 

But  the  princess  has  always  been  treated 
with  such  unmitigated  cruelty  and  has  been  so 
universally  the  victim  of  royal  caprice,  a  mere 
article  of  barter  and  sale,  that  her  sweet  clay 
has  become  soft  and  white  on  the  potter's  wheel, 
and  she  has  taken  her  place  in  the  great  throb- 
bing heart  of  the  world,  to  be  cherished  with  a 

romantic  love  that  goes  out  to  no  one  else.    A 

i 


2  A   GENTLE    KNIGHT 

cursory  glance  through  history  will  readily  con- 
vince one  that  it  is  better  to  be  born  a  beggar 
whose  fate  is  to  die  of  want  than  to  come  into 
the  world  a  princess  who  will  one  day  die  a 
queen.  The  head  that  wears  a  crown  knows 
nothing  of  uneasiness  compared  with  the  head 
that  lies  beside  it. 

The  only  compensation  the  princess  receives 
for  her  hard  fate  lies  in  the  fact  that  her  praises 
are  often  oversung.  For  example,  she  is  al- 
ways beautiful — no  one  ever  heard  of  a  prin- 
cess who  was  not — usually  gentle  and  wise. 
The  chroniclers  assert  her  beauty  with  so  great 
insistence  that  frequently  we  are  led  to  suspect 
these  old  scriveners  of  protesting  too  much. 
But  despite  our  scepticism,  we  are  forced  at 
times  to  believe  all  they  say. 

Wilhelmina,  sister  of  Frederick  the  Great, 
was  one  against  whom  our  doubts  cannot 
prevail.  The  evidence  in  her  favor  is  over- 
whelming, and  we  must  believe  that  she  was 
not  only  beautiful,  but  wise,  learned  and  witty, 
gentle,  tender,  lovable  and  true.  Voltaire  was 
her  friend,  and  probably  she  was  the  one  per- 
son of  whom  that  interesting  old  cynic  wrote 
nothing  but  good.  Guy  Dickens,  Frederick  the 
Great  and  a  score  of  others  render  the  same 
verdict  and  we  must  accept  it. 


OF    OLD    BEANDENBUEG  3 

"Wilhelmina,  too,  wrote  a  great  deal  about 
herself,  and  left  us  one  of  the  most  interesting 
books  ever  published.  From  it  this  story  is 
taken.  The  princess  does  not  say  she  is  beauti- 
ful, for  modesty  shows  its  sweet  face  in  and 
between  all  the  lines  of  her  fascinating  memoir, 
but  she  proves  conclusively  her  learning,  her 
wisdom  and  her  virtues. 

Of  all  the  princesses  ever  sung  in  verse  or 
chronicle,  this  rare  Wilhelmina  suffered  most 
during  a  tedious  time  from  man's  selfishness 
and  cruelty. 

Carlyle  says  of  her:  ''Never  in  any  romance 
or  stage  play  was  young  lady,  without  blame, 
without  furtherance  and  without  hinderance  of 
her  own,  so  tormented  about  a  settlement  in  life 
—passive  she  all  the  while,  mere  clay  in  the 
hands  of  the  potter,  and  begging  the  universe 
to  have  the  extreme  goodness  only  to  leave  her 
alone." 

To  those  who  have  read  Wilhelmina 's  memoir 
or  Carlyle 's  history  of  Frederick  the  Great,  it 
will  be  needless  to  suggest  that  certain  seem- 
ingly improbable  incidents  in  the  following 
story  are  true. 

To  those  who  do  not  happen  to  be  intimately 
acquainted  with  the  wonderful  story  of  this 
beautiful  girl's  life,  it  may  not  be  amiss  to  say 


4  A   GENTLE    KNIGHT 

that  all  the  characters  here  introduced  lived 
and  acted  the  parts  assigned  to  them. 

In  many  instances  it  has  been  necessary  to 
tone  down  scenes  to  avoid,  if  possible,  extreme 
melodrama,  since  nothing  in  a  work  of  fiction 
is  so  apt  to  provoke  doubt  as  a  startling  truth. 

King  Frederick  William's  apparent  hatred 
of  his  son,  Prince  Fritz,  afterwards  Frederick 
the  Great;  the  grotesque  antics  of  the  Tobacco 
Parliament,  worthy  to  rank  with  the  veriest 
farce  ever  played  on  any  stage;  the  scenes  at 
table  where  the  royal  family  had  nothing  but 
cabbage  for  dinner;  the  king's  cruelty  to  his 
daughter  Wilhelmina,  and  the  frightful  methods 
employed  to  compel  her  to  accept  the  man 
chosen  for  her  husband;  Grumkow's  satanic 
part  in  all  the  terrible  proceedings ;  the  peculiar 
combination  of  state  reasons  that  brought 
Wilhelmina,  her  sister  Charlotte — nicknamed 
Don't  Care — and  the  handsome  Hereditary 
Prince  of  Bayreuth  into  relations  so  curious 
that  they  seem  improbable;  the  magnanimity 
and  the  bravery  of  the  rare,  gentle  Margrave  of 
Schwedt;  and  the  romantic  events  preceding 
Wilhelmina 's  marriage  occurred  with  few  ex- 
ceptions substantially  as  described. 

In  passing  judgment  on  Adolph,  the  Mar- 
grave of  Schwedt,  it  must  not  be  forgotten  that 


OF   OLD   BRANDENBURG  5 

in  the  middle  eighteenth  century  drunkenness 
among  both  men  and  women  was  the  rule  rather 
than  the  exception.  Sobriety  was  looked  upon 
as  one  of  the  weaker  virtues  and  of  itself 
brought  no  respect  to  one  practicing  it,  though 
joined  with  other  virtues  it  was  not  considered 
objectionable. 

To  cover  the  whole  ground  of  "Wilhelmina's 
life,  even  during  the  short  period  embraced  in 
this  story,  would  require  a  large  volume  in  the 
telling;  therefore  what  follows  is  but  a  frag- 
ment of  her  history,  a  page  across  which  walks 
one  of  the  few  unselfish  persons  with  whom  she 
came  in  contact,  the  gentle,  the  magnanimous, 
the  grotesque  Margrave  of  Schwedt. 


CHAPTER  II 

AMONG    BRIGANDS 

ON  a  certain  stormy  March  day  in  the  year 
1731,  the  good  old  Margrave  of  Bayreuth  and 
his  son  Frederick  Henry,  the  Hereditary  Prince, 
were  sitting  before  the  broad  fireplace  in  the 
little  mountain-bounded,  snow-covered  castle  of 
Bayreuth,  discussing  the  interesting  subject  of 
marriage  and  giving  in  marriage. 

Although  neither  the  prince  nor  his  father 
had  ever  seen  the  fair  Princess  Wilhelmina  of 
Prussia  and  Brandenburg,  nor  had  dreamed 
that  she  could  ever  become  even  an  incident 
in  their  lives,  her  name  sprang  to  their  lips 
with  a  persistency  that  now,  in  the  light  of 
subsequent  events,  seems  to  have  been  almost 
prophetic. 

Outside  the  grim  little  castle  the  mountains 
were  clothed  in  snow  and  ice,  and  the  wind 
howled  among  the  tiny  peaks.  The  mountains 
were  little  more  than  mimic  mountains,  as  Bay- 
reuth was  a  mimic  principality  and  its  ruler  a 
mimic  prince,  though  in  blood  and  rank  the 
equal  of  any  king  east  of  the  Rhine. 

Although  the  old  Margrave  was  in  a  way  a 


OF    OLD    BRANDENBURG  7 

mimic  prince,  because  Bayreuth  was  small,  he 
was  not  a  mimic  man.  He  was  a  man  in  the 
fullest,  rarest  and  best  sense  of  the  word,  for 
his  life  had  been  one  of  truth  to  himself  and  to 
all  mankind.  In  his  old  age  he  lived  happily 
in  his  little  castle  nestling  among  the  mountain 
peaks,  reaped  the  harvest  of  a  manhood  well 
tilled,  and  watched  the  sun  as  it  set  tranquilly 
on  a  life  of  sweet  content. 

No  small  part  of  the  Margrave's  reward  was 
his  son,  Prince  Henry  or  "Fritz  Henry,"  as  he 
was  familiarly  known  by  his  friends.  The  fact 
that  Prince  Henry  was  oVer  six  feet  tall  soon 
played  an  important  part  in  shaping  his  des- 
tiny. He  had  spent  several  years  in  the  armies 
of  England,  France  and  Italy,  where  of  course 
he  had  learned  the  ways  of  the  world,  but  not- 
withstanding this  questionable  wisdom,  had 
retained  his  father's  .gentleness  of  nature  and 
purity  of  heart.  At  a  time  when  nearly  every 
man  was  a  drunken  roue,  Fritz  Henry  seemed 
to  have  taken  disgust  from  the  evil  on  every 
side,  and  had  profited  by  the  bad  example. 

The  old  Margrave,  too,  differed  from  his 
princely  brothers  in  many  respects.  He  had, 
in  his  youth,  made  a  marriage  for  love,  and 
later  in  life  had  not  tried  to  strengthen  him- 


8  A    GENTLE    KNIGHT 

self  by  forcing  Ms  children  into  repugnant 
alliances. 

At  the  time  of  this  conversation  between 
Fritz  Henry  and  his  father,  August  the  Stark 
was  King  of  Poland  and  Elector  of  Saxony. 
He  was  the  most  dissolute  of  men.  His  family, 
it  was  said,  consisted  of  one  hundred  and  sixty- 
five  sons  and  daughters,  who  were  true  children 
of  a  bad  father.  For  many  years  he  had  been 
a  kindly  guardian  to  the  small  state  of  Bay- 
reuth,  paying  to  the  Margrave  a  liberal  pension 
in  accordance  with  the  terms  of  an  old  treaty. 

Having  many  daughters  to  dispose  of,  King 
August  one  day  suggested  to  his  ministers  a 
scheme  for  relieving  his  family  congestion,  and 
at  the  same  time  honoring  his  old  friend 
of  Bayreuth,  by  giving  to  the  Hereditary 
Prince  a  fair  daughter  of  Saxony  to  wife. 
He  selected  one  of  his  daughters  and  asked 
his  advisers  to  take  the  subject  of  her  marriage 
to  Fritz  Henry  under  consideration.  For- 
tunately for  Henry,  affairs  of  state  moved 
slowly  in  Saxony,  being  constantly  interrupted 
by  matters  of  more  importance  that  were  con- 
ducive to  the  king's  pleasure  and  entertain- 
ment. 

A  hint  of  this  kindly  intention  had  been  sent 
by  a  friend  in  Dresden  to  the  Margrave  of 


OF    OLD    BRANDENBURG  9 

Bayreuth,  and  had  brought  consternation  in  its 
wake  to  father  and  son. 

The  morals  of  King  August's  court  were  not 
conducive  to  the  growth  of  perfect  womanhood, 
so  as  the  daughter  about  to  be  proposed  by 
his  Majesty  was  neither  good,  handsome  nor 
rich,  Prince  Henry  quite  naturally  did  not 
want  her  for  a  wife,  nor  did  the  Margrave  want 
her  for  a  daughter-in-law. 

While  the  wind  howled  and  screamed  among 
the  turrets  and  towers  of  Bayreuth  Castle,  the 
Margrave  and  Prince  Henry  sat  in  their  arm- 
chairs before  the  fire,  greatly  troubled  by  the 
questionable  honor  their  powerful  friend  and 
neighbor  would  thrust  upon  them. 

"If  we  refuse  King  August's  daughter,  we 
shall  offend  him,"  said  the  Margrave.  "He 
will  withdraw  his  support  from  Bayreuth  and 
may  cut  off  our  allowance.  If  he  ceases  pay- 
ment how  shall  we  support  our  old  retainers'? 
We  cannot  turn  them  out  into  the  bleak  winds. 
I  am  not  deeply  concerned  for  myself,  but  I 
must  care  for  these  old  men  and  women  who 
have  been  my  friends  and  helpers  all  through 
life,  and  though  I  am  poor,  I  must  divide  my 
crust  with  them.  If  we  offend  King  August 
there  will  be  no  crust,  for  I  am  powerless  to 
compel  him  to  hold  to  the  treaty.  Still  I  can- 


10  A    GENTLE    KNIGHT 

not  bear  that  you  should  marry  this  painted 
courtesan  of  Dresden." 

"I  will  marry  her,  father,"  said  Prince 
Henry  after  a  long  pause,  "if  my  refusal  will 
bring  misfortune  to  you.  It  would  be  hard  and 
life  would  be  a  dreary  prospect  afterwards; 
but  I  will  do  it  if  it  is  your  wish." 

"You  shall  not  marry  her,  even  though  your 
refusal  may  cost  me  my  state.  There  is  but 
one  way  to  evade  refusal  or  marriage.  You 
must  disappear — run  away — before  King 
August  sends  word  of  his  intention.  Go  at 
once  and  do  not  tell  me  where  you  are  going. 
Then  when  Dresden's  envoys  arrive,  I  can  say 
with  truth  that  I  do  not  know  where  you  are. 
Immediately  after  you  have  gone  I  will  cause 
it  to  be  known  in  Dresden  that  you  are  away 
from  home,  and  we  may  be  able  to  avert  the 
offer,  at  least  for  a  time.  You  have  lived  so 
much  away  from  home  that  your  absence  will 
not  seem  unusual." 

"I'll  take  your  advice  at  once,  father.  If 
King  August  offers  his  fine  daughter,  you  shall 
give  your  consent,  subject,  of  course,  to  my 
approval,  and  I'll  give  my  approval  when— 
when  they  find  me." 

The  old  Margrave  sat  musing  and  gazing 
into  the  fire.  Presently  he  said: 


OF   OLD   BRANDENBURG  11 

"I  have  sometimes  hoped  that  King  Fred- 
erick William  of  Prussia  and  Brandenburg 
might  give  you  his  second  daughter,  Charlotte. 
They  say  she  is  beautiful,  but  I  am  told  she  is 
very  young,  willful  and  thoughtless.  Her 
temper  may  improve  with  age,  but  on  the  other 
hand,  it  may  grow  to  be  like  her  father's,  in 
which  case — "  The  Margrave  held  up  his 
hand  warningly,  and  after  a  brief  pause  con- 
cluded: " — in  which  case  I  should  not  want  her 
for  a  daughter-in-law." 

"Probably  she  is  better  than  she  is  painted," 
suggested  Henry. 

"She  may  be,  she  may  be.  I  believe  the  old 
king  might  be  induced  to  give  her  to  you  if  we 
were  to  allow  him  time  to  make  up  his  stubborn 
mind,  or  if  we  could  in  some  manner  convince 
him  that  we  do  not  want  her.  The  subject  was 
once  broached  by  Grumkow  but  nothing  came 
of  it."  The  Margrave  sat  musing  for  a 
moment  then  continued:  "If  even  a  small  part 
of  what  is  said  about  the  Prussian  king  is  true, 
he  must  be  an  old  devil — stark  mad.  Prince 
Fritz,  I  hear,  is  a  fine  boy,  and  the  world  is  full 
of  Wilhelrnina's  praises.  But  I  am  told  the 
king  hates  them,  and  it  is  feared  at  Berlin  he 
will  work  some  great  injury  to  them  one  of 
these  fine  davs  in  a  fit  of  madness.  It  is  said 


12  A   GENTLE   KNIGHT 

that  he  dotes  on  his  daughter  Charlotte,  who 
defies  him,  disobeys  him  and  has  her  own 
way  in  everything.  Her  father  has  given  her 
the  nickname  "Don't  Care"  because  that  is  her 
one  answer  when  he  grows  angry  and  threatens 
her." 

Henry  laughed  and  said : ' '  She  must  be  inter- 
esting," and  after  a  long  thoughtful  pause,  the 
Margrave  resumed: 

"The  Princess  Wilhelmina  must  be  a  rare, 
lovable  character.  Those  who  know  her  say 
that  in  all  the  world  there  is  no  princess  equal- 
ing her  in  beauty,  gentleness  and  wisdom.  You 
know  our  friend  King  August  fell  desperately 
in  love  with  her  during  his  recent  visit  to  Ber- 
lin, and  doubtless  would  have  married  her  at 
once  had  she  not  been  betrothed  to  Prince 
Frederick  of  England.  She  may  yet  become 
King  August's  bride  if  the  English  treaty  falls. 
It  has  long  been  tottering.  Did  you  ever  hear 
of  her  meeting  with  the  Great  Bear  of  the 
North,  Peter  of  Russia?" 

"No,  father." 

"When  Peter  first  clapped  eyes  on  the  little 
princess,  then  a  child,  he  was  so  charmed  with 
her  fresh  young  beauty  that  he  took  her  in  his 
arms  and  kissed  her  till  she  slapped  his  face. 
Then  he  laughed  and  cried  out:  'Ah,  my  little 


OF   OLD    BBANDENBURG  13 

beauty,  you  are  fit  to  be  queen  of  queens !'  rNot 
with  you  as  king  of  kings!'  she  replied.  The 
czar  was  so  delighted  with  her  spirit  and  her 
quick  retort  that  he  would  have  embraced  her 
again,  but  she  fled  in  childish  indignation.  Ah, 
my  son,  if  you  could  have  this  beautiful  Wil- 
helmina  for  your  wife,  how  happy  I  should  be. 
But  she  is  for  England  or  Dresden,  or  for  some 
one  who  will  aid  King  Frederick  William  in  his 
Prussian  policy,  or  perhaps  I  should  say,  who 
will  answer  Grumkow's  purposes.  I  should  be 
content  with  her  younger  sister  for  your  wife, 
and  am  willing  to  run  the  risk  of  her  temper.'* 

"I  want  neither,"  said  Henry.  "I  want  no 
wife,  not  I.  I'll  be  faithful  to  my  sword,  and 
who  knows  but  I  may  some  day  win  a  wife 
whom  I  shall  want  for  her  own  sake.  When  I 
find  her  I'll  bring  her  home  to  dear  old  Bay- 
reuth  for  your  blessing." 

"You  shall  have  it,  my  son,  if  she  is  naught 
but  the  virtuous  daughter  of  a  burgher." 

Prince  Henry  rose  from  his  chair  and  stood 
with  his  back  to  the  fire,  while  the  old  Margrave 
walked  over  to  the  window  and  gazed  out  on 
the  snowstorm.  After  a  long  silence  Prince 
Henry  rang  a  bell  and  a  page  responded. 

"Tell  my  servant  Peter  to  come  to  me  at, 
once,"  said  the  prince. 


14  A   GENTLE    KNIGHT 

Henry  remained  by  the  fireside  and  his  father 
continued  to  gaze  out  the  window.  The  old 
Margrave  knew  what  the  summons  for  Peter 
meant. 

"  Are  you  going  now?"  he  asked,  regretfully, 
turning  his  face  toward  his  son.  "You  have 
been  home  less  than  a  fortnight,  and  the  storm 
has  an  ugly  look. ' ' 

"I  don't  want  to  go,  father,"  said  Henry, 
going  to  the  Margrave's  side  and  resting  his 
hand  gently  on  his  shoulder.  "I  am  running 
away  from  the  princess  of  Dresden.  Your  ad- 
vice is  good,  as  usual.  There  is  but  one  way 
to  evade  this  marriage :  lose  myself  in  some  out 
of  the  way  corner  of  the  world.  I  can't  do  it 
too  quickly.  To-morrow  may  be  too  late,  so 
I'll  go  at  once." 

"You  are  right,"  answered  the  Margrave, 
"and  I  must  not  detain  you." 

When  Peter  came  Prince  Henry  said :  * '  Sad- 
dle the  horses  and  arrange  my  saddle  bags  for 
a  journey.  I'll  wear  the  breastplate  and  steel 
cap,  and  carry  my  hand  guns  and  sword.  Make 
haste,  Peter,  and  bring  the  horses  to  the  draw- 
bridge as  soon  as  possible.  I'll  be  in  the  court- 
yard ready  to  start  in  half  an  hour.  You,  of 
course,  go  with  me." 

Half  an  hour  later  the  prince  and  Peter  were 


OF    OLD    BRANDENBURG  15 

riding  out  beneath  the  castle  gates,  bound  for 
any  place  that  would  save  Henry  from  King 
August's  kindly  purposes. 

Soon  after  they  had  left  the  castle  gates, 
Henry  said:  "We'll  ride  off  into  the  mountains 
and  let  chance  determine  our  route.  I  wish  to 
be  unknown.  From  now  on,  Peter,  remember 
that  I  am  Captain  Henry  Churchill.  You  are 
English  and  I  speak  English  as  if  I  were  Eng- 
lish born.  So  I'll  take  an  English  name,  and 
we  may  easily  pass  for  Englishmen.  We  are 
Captain  Henry  Churchill  and  servant  Peter, 
of  Cheapside,  London,  England." 

"Not  Cheapside,  your  Highness,"  suggested 
Peter.  "Cheapside  is  no  place  for  a  gentle- 
man to  hail  from.  We'll  say  Westminster." 

"Very  well,"  returned  Henry.  "We  are 
from  Westminster.  But  you  must  not  say 
'your  Highness' ;  it  must  be  Captain  Churchill." 

"Ah  yes,"  returned  Peter.  "I'll  remember, 
your  Highness — that  is,  Captain  Churchill." 

Henry  and  old  Peter  soon  left  the  main  road 
and  took  a  mountain  path  over  which  their 
horses  ploughed  through  the  snow  till  near 
sunset,  when  they  came  to  the  main  highway 
between  Coburg  and  Chemnitz.  As  they 
turned  into  the  road  they  saw  six  men  approach- 
ing from  the  west,  all  heavily  armed  and 


16 

roughly  dressed.  One  of  the  men  hailed  in 
German,  and  Henry  waited  till  the  little  com- 
pany came  up  to  him.  The  captain  or  leader 
of  the  party  seemed  to  be  a  Frenchman,  for 
when  he  addressed  Henry  he  spoke  French, 
freely  mingled  with  English  and  German. 
After  he  concluded  that  Henry  was  an  English- 
man, he  spoke  English. 

"May  I  ask,  are  we  on  the  right  road  to 
Chemnitz!"  the  French  captain  inquired. 

"The  way  to  Chemnitz  is  a  crooked  one," 
answered  Henry,  smiling  and  speaking  English, 
which  he  was  sure  the  fellow  would  understand, 
' '  and  it  is  hard  to  say  when  one  is  on  the  right 
road.  There  are  so  many  turnings  and  fork- 
ings  in  the  mountains  that  you  will  lose  your 
way  if  you  are  unfamiliar  with  the  route.  We 
are  traveling  to  Chemnitz  and  I  shall  be  glad 
to  show  you  the  way." 

Henry  hoped  he  might  be  able  to  induce  the 
rough  but  stout  band  of  warriors,  who  were  all 
well  armed  and  well  mounted,  to  enlist  under 
his  banner.  With  so  goodly  a  company,  he  was 
sure  he  would  be  welcomed  into  any  army  of 
Europe.  His  offer  of  guidance,  therefore,  was 
not  entirely  disinterested. 

The  French  captain,  who   seemed  grateful, 


OF   OLD   BRANDENBURG  17 

promptly  accepted  Henry's  offer,  and  the  party 
at  once  started  forward  toward  Chemnitz. 

Soon  the  storm  increased  and  became  so 
violent  that  the  travelers  agreed  to  stop  for 
the  night  at  a  small  village  inn,  where  Henry 
offered  to  pay  the  cost  of  entertainment. 

When  he  sprang  from  his  horse,  one  of  the 
troopers  muttered  to  his  neighbor:  "Himmel! 
He's  a  long  one.  We  must  capture  him.  The 
master  would  give  us  a  thousand  marks  for  the 
fellow." 

Prince  Henry  entered  the  inn  to  bespeak 
entertainment  for  his  party,  and  Peter  led  the 
horses  to  the  stable.  The  six  travelers  were 
left  to  themselves. 

"Der  Teufel,  but  we  must  take  him,"  said 
one  of  the  Germans,  speaking  to  the  leader. 
"He's  a  fine  long  one,  and  will  bring  us  a  good 
price." 

"Shall  we  try  to  take  him  to-night?"  asked 
another. 

"We  might  take  him  while  he  sleeps,"  sug- 
gested the  first  speaker. 

"We'll  see,  we'll  see,"  answered  the  captain, 
impatiently.  "All  in  good  time.  Don't  think. 
Don't  talk.  Don't  make  plans.  Leave  the 
talking,  thinking  and  planning  to  me.  All  that 
you  blockheads  have  to  do  is  to  keep  your 
2 


18  A   GENTLE   KNIGHT 

mouths  shut  and  mind  your  own  business. 
Your  business  is  to  strike  when  I  tell  you,  and 
to  keep  still  at  all  other  times.  Understand? 
As  for  this  fellow,  we  shall  see  what  we  shall 
see.  'Be  quick  slowly'  is  the  master's  word, 
'but  be  quick'." 

"Yes,  yes,  'but  be  quick'.  That's  the 
master's  word,"  answered  one  of  the  men. 

"And  we  will  be  quick,"  returned  the  cap- 
tain. "But  our  long  friend  here  would  fight 
like  forty  devils,  and  we'll  wait  for  a  good 
opportunity  to  take  him  without  a  conflict.  We 
don't  want  to  seek  broken  heads  for  ourselves, 
and  the  master  might  break  our  heads  for  good 
and  all  if  we  broke  this  fellow's.  He  will  be 
worth  a  great  deal  more  to  us  with  a  whole 
head.  Now,  I  say  we'll  travel  with  him  till  he 
trusts  us ;  then  he'll  fall  quietly  into  our  net." 

Soon  after  a  late  supper,  the  house  was  lost 
in  darkness  and  its  tired  occupants  were  lost 
in  sleep.  Henry  and  Peter  occupied  a  room  by 
themselves,  and  their  six  traveling  companions 
slept  on  the  floor  of  the  taproom.  There  was 
a  whispered  discussion  among  the  ruffians  con- 
cerning the  best  course  to  be  followed  in  captur- 
ing their  man,  but  as  there  were  many  miles  to 
be  traveled  before  reaching  Chemnitz,  and  as 
the  road  wound  through  a  mountainous,  barren 


OF   OLD   BRANDENBURG  19 

and  uninhabited  country,  the  cautious  French- 
man thought  it  better  to  take  the  chance  of 
surprising  him  next  day  in  the  mountains 
rather  than  to  try  to  seize  him  at  the  inn. 

The  next  morning  Prince  Henry,  Peter  and 
their  six  companions  started  on  their  journey 
in  a  terrific  snowstorm.  Henry  hoped  that 
when  they  reached  Chemnitz  he  should  be 
able  to  capture  his  friends  and  form  a  little 
company  to  be  offered,  with  himself,  to  the 
prince  or  king  making  the  highest  bid.  He 
hoped  to  make  his  capture  with  blandishments 
and  gold.  The  six  ruffians,  on  the  other  hand, 
expected  to  make  theirs  by  force. 

After  leaving  the  inn,  each  mile  of  the  road 
carried  the  travelers  farther  into  the  moun- 
tains, and  within  a  few  hours  they  were  in  the 
midst  of  a  wild  cluster  of  small  peaks  and 
precipices.  Snow  had  fallen  heavily  over  night, 
and  in  many  places  the  road  was  hidden.  After 
the  party  had  penetrated  well  into  the  heart  of 
the  mountains  the  road  was  entirely  lost,  and 
Henry  sprang  from  his  horse  to  reconnoiter  on 
foot.  Peter  and  three  of  the  men  were  two 
hundred  yards  in  the  rear ;  the  other  three,  in- 
cluding the  French  captain,  were  with  Henry. 

Henry  threw  his  reins  over  the  pommel  of 
the  saddle,  and  leaving  his  horse,  walked  a 


20 

short  distance  ahead  to  sound  the  snow,  hoping 
to  find  the  road.  His  pistols  were  in  his  saddle, 
and  his  sword,  being  cumbersome,  had  been  left 
with  them.  Before  he  had  taken  twenty  steps 
from  his  horse  the  others  dismounted  and 
quickly  overtook  him.  The  captain,  following 
closely  at  his  heels,  called  to  him,  saying  politely 
but  somewhat  nervously : 

"I  have  a  word  to  speak  with  you,  my 
friend. ' ' 

Henry  turned  in  surprise  and  looked  into  the 
muzzle  of  a  hand  gun. 

"Well,  why  don't  you  say  it?"  he  returned, 
concealing  his  surprise.  He  did  not  indicate 
by  even  so  much  as  the  fall  of  an  eyelid  that 
he  saw  the  hand  gun. 

"Because — because — "  stammered  the  some- 
what disconcerted  captain.  "Because  I  like 
you  and  don't  like  the  task  ahead  of  me." 

"What  is  the  task  ahead  of  you?"  asked 
Henry.  "Surely  you  don't  intend  to  murder 
me." 

"Mon  Dieu,  Monsieur!  No,  no,  far  from  it! 
Far  from  it,  I  assure  Monsieur,"  answered  the 
Frenchman,  hastily  and  politely.  "It  grieves 
me  even  to  tell  Monsieur  that  he  is  my  pris- 
oner. ' ' 

The  other  two  men  immediately  lifted  their 


OF   OLD   BRANDENBURG  21 

hand  guns  and  pointed  them  at  Henry.  At  the 
same  moment  the  leader  whistled,  when  the  three 
men  who  were  with  Peter  seized  the  old  man 
and  informed  him  that,  for  the  small  sum  of 
half  a  pfennig,  they  would  blow  his  brains  out. 
Trifling  as  the  inducement  was,  Peter  did  not 
offer  it,  but  allowed  himself  to  be  made  captive. 

"I  see  you  have  captured  my  servant,"  said 
Henry,  "and  as  I  am  unarmed,  I  will  make 
terms  of  surrender  if  you  will  be  at  all  reason- 
able." 

"I'm  sorry.  I  grieve — I  almost  weep,"  said 
the  polite  captain,  placing  his  hand  on  his  heart 
and  bowing  low  before  Henry.  "But  I  cannot 
give  myself  the  pleasure  of  even  promising 
Monsieur  to  be  reasonable.  I  passionately 
wish  I  could,  but  it  is  impossible  to  make  the 
promise,  since  the  whole  proceeding  from 
Monsieur's  standpoint,  and  perhaps  from  my 
own,  is  hardly  to  be  justified  between  gentle- 
men. But  I'll  be  pleased  to  hear  what  Mon- 
sieur has  to  say  if  he  will  be  so  kind  as  to  say 
it  with — with — what  is  it  you  English  say? — 
Ah — suddenness. ' ' 

"Tell  me  first  why  you  wish  to  capture  me," 
asked  Henry,  smiling  at  the  Frenchman's 
"suddenness". 

"Ah,  Monsieur's  request  is  not  at  all  unex- 


22  A   GENTLE   KNIGHT 

pected,  and  it  is  so  reasonable  that  I  should 
gladly  make  full  answer  if  it  would  be — if  it 
would  be — what  would  you  English  say?  Ah— 
to  the  expediency.  But  my  heart  is  sore  be- 
cause I  cannot  tell  it  to  you." 

"Do  you  expect  to  rob  me?"  asked  Henry, 
feeling  sure,  however,  that  robbery  was  not  the 
purpose. 

"Ah,  the  good  God  of  my  father  and  of  my 
mother  forbid,"  answered  the  Frenchman. 

"Do  you  expect  to  hold  me  for  ransom?" 
queried  Henry.  "If  so,  you  will  be  disap- 
pointed, for  I  am  poor  as  a  church  mouse,  and 
all  my  friends  could  not  raise  a  hundred  pis- 
toles." 

"No,  no,  it  is  not  ransom  we  want,"  answered 
the  captain  protestingly.  "It  is  only  Monsieur 
— Monsieur  himself.  He  will  pardon,  but  it 
may  reassure  Monsieur  if  I  tell  him  that  we 
know  he  is  a  poor  devil  who  must  coin  his 
sword  into  crowns  and  pistoles  if  he  would  have 
money.  Yes,  we  know,  Monsieur — I  should  say 
'Meester',  that  is  the  way  you  English  speak  it 
— we  know  Meester  has  no  money  that  he  would 
not  give  to  us  for  the  asking  if  we  needed  it. 
In  our  brief  comradeship  we  have  learned  that 
he  is  generous.  We  have  learned  to  love 
Meester,  and  if  he  will  accept  our  guidance,  we 


OF   OLD   BRANDENBURG  23 

will  put  money  in  his  purse  rather  than  take  it 
from  him. ' ' 

"Take  our  horses,  our  arms  and  my  purse 
and  let  us  go.  There  is  more  money  in  the 
purse  than  you  suppose,"  said  Henry,  ceasing 
to  be  amused  by  the  Captain's  polite  speeches, 
and  tossing  the  purse  at  the  fellow's  feet. 

"No,  no.  We  have  horses  and  arms  to 
spare,"  returned  the  captain.  "As  for  your 
purse,  keep  it,  and  we  will  put  more  gold  in  it 
if  need  be." 

The  captain  took  the  purse  from  the  snow 
and  politely  returned  it  to  Henry.  The  situa- 
tion was  growing  bewildering  to  the  young 
man. 

"  If  it  is  neither  robbery  nor  ransom,  tell  me, 
pray,  what  in  the  devil's  name  you  want  with 
me,"  demanded  Henry,  smiling  in  spite  of  sup- 
pressed anger.  "Do  you  believe  that  I  am  a 
criminal?  Do  you  imagine  that  you  know 
me?" 

Henry  knew  the  ruffians  did  not  know  him, 
for  evidently  the  French  captain  supposed  he 
had  captured  an  Englishman. 

"Indeed  we  do  not  believe  that  Meester  is  a 
criminal.  We  know  he  is  not.  We  love  him 
and  we  want  him  to  go  with  us  because — just 
because  we  want  the  pleasure  of  his  company. 


24  A   GENTLE   KNIGHT 

That  is  why  we  are  taking  you; — at  least  that 
is  all  the  why  I  can  give  you." 

"You  know  nothing  of  me.  You  do  not  even 
know  where  I  am  from,"  insisted  Henry. 

"Nor  do  we  want  to  know,"  answered  the 
fellow,  shrugging  his  shoulders.  * '  Meester  may 
be  English.  Who  can  tell?  But  in  view  of 
the  uses  to  which  he  will  be  put,  it  is  greatly  to 
our  interest  not  to  know  what  he  is  or  where  he 
is  from,  and  though  the  information  would  be 
to  us  pleasing,  we  beg  that  he  will  not  honor 
us  with  it.  Monsieur  is  himself,  and  that  is  all 
sufficient  for  us  to  know." 

"Where  do  you  mean  to  take  me?"  asked 
Henry. 

"Ah,  Monsieur's  request  is  so  reasonable  that 
to  refuse  it  is  to  pain,"  responded  the  captain, 
bowing  before  Henry.  "Pardon  my  seeming 
discourtesy.  I  cannot  give  you  light.  You 
will  learn  all  these  interesting  facts  from  my 
master  after — a  long  journey.  If  you  have  any 
more  reasonable  questions,  I  beg  you  to  make 
haste,  for  we  must  be  traveling." 

The  captain  was  beginning  to  show  his  teeth. 

"One  more,"  answered  Henry.  "What  are 
you  going  to  do  with  my  servant?" 

"Ah,  at  last  there  is  to  me  of  pleasure," 
responded  the  French  captain,  still  speaking 


OF   OLD   BRANDENBURG  25 

English.  "You  ask  to  me  a  question  that  I 
can  answer.  It  will  be  to  detain  your  servant 
for  an  hour  after  we  have  resumed  our  journey. 
Then  it  will  be  to  relieve  him  of  his  arms,  and 
to  warn  him  not  to  follow  us  on  pain  of  death. 
Then  it  will  be  to  direct  him  to  return  forthwith 
to  his  home,  and  to  tell  your  friends  that  it  has 
been  to  you  to  be  captured  by  a  band  of  kind- 
hearted  brigands." 

"May  I  have  a  word  with  my  servant?" 
asked  Henry. 

"Mon  Dieu!  Again  it  is  to  pain.  I  grieve. 
I  weep.  I — " 

"Oh,  well,  let  us  start  at  once,"  interrupted 
Henry.  ' '  If  poor  old  Peter  is  to  be  kept  in  the 
cold  for  an  hour  after  we  start,  he  will  be  frozen 
if  we  don't  go  immediately.  Will  you  give  him 
this  silver?  I  fear  the  old  man  has  no  money." 

"Ah,  that  is  to  me  of  pleasure  once  more," 
cried  the  Frenchman.  "But  permit.  I  myself 
will  give  to  Peter  of  gold.  Silver  were  un- 
worthy. ' ' 

The  captain  hurried  down  the  road  to  where 
Peter  and  his  captors  were  standing,  spoke 
briefly  to  one  of  the  men,  handed  Peter  a  gold 
coin  and  said : 

"When  you  return  to  England,  tell  your 
master's  friends  he  was  captured  by  brigands, 


26  A   GENTLE    KNIGHT 

but  tell  them  also  that  no  harm  shall  befall  him. 
If  you  attempt  to  follow  us,  you  will  be  shot. 
Now,  you  may  understand." 

Peter  intimated  that  he  fully  understood  the 
distressing  situation,  and  the  captain  returned 
to  Henry. 

After  removing  all  arms  from  Henry's  sad- 
dle, the  Frenchman  said  again  in  French : 

"Now,  if  Monsieur  will  kindly  mount  his 
horse,  we'll  continue  our  journey.  Will  it  not 
be  a  novel  experience  for  Monsieur  to  ride  with 
brigands  ? ' ' 

"You're  not  a  brigand,"  answered  Henry, 
* '  and  I  am  sure  you  are  acting  under  a  mistake. 
A  word  of  explanation  from  you  might  save 
me  a  great  deal  of  annoyance,  and  might  avert 
serious  trouble  for  you  later  on." 

"There  is  no  mistake,  Monsieur,"  answered 
the  French  captain.  "I  pledge  you  my  word 
we  do  not  even  think  we  know  who  you  are. 
We  hope  you  are  nobody.  If  you  are  anybody, 
our  work  will  all  have  been  in  vain,  and  our 
master,  instead  of  being  pleased,  as  we  hope  he 
will  be,  may  be  greatly  displeased." 

"Who  is  your  master?"  asked  Henry. 

"Our  master?"  repeated  the  French  captain. 
"Oh,  our  master?  Why,  our  master  is  the 
devil.  Yes,  that  is  it.  He  is  the  devil.  I  tell 


OF   OLD   BRANDENBURG  27 

you  not  one  word — not  one  syllable — not  one 
letter  of  untruth.  He  is  really  the  devil,  and 
when  you  know  him  you  will  learn  that  I  am  a 
truthful  man.  I  cannot  tell  you  more.  There- 
fore, mount,  my  dear  Monsieur,  and  though 
your  questions  are  all  reasonable  and  ought  to 
be  answered,  please  reserve  them  till  a  time 
when  you  can  make  them  to  one  who  can  and 
doubtless  will  answer  you  in  full,  though  per- 
haps not  to  your  entire  satisfaction.  Come, 
come.  Shall  I  bind  Monsieur's  wrists,  or  will 
he  give  me  his  parole  and  go  with  us  peace- 
ably?" 

"I  give  my  parole,"  answered  Henry. 

"I  thank  Monsieur  for  his  kindness,  and 
trust  him  without  a  doubt,  for  of  course  Mon- 
sieur knows  that  a  broken  parole  means  death. 
I  trust  him,  but  with  his  permission,  I'll  tie 
one  end  of  this  rope  to  his  horse's  bit,  and  the 
other  end  to  Big  John  yonder.  There!  Now 
we  are  ready!  Permit  me  to  assist  Monsieur 
to  mount." 

"I  need  no  help,"  said  Henry,  laughing.  "I 
am  still  strong  enough  to  mount  a  horse.  I 
thank  you,  captain,  for  your  politeness,  but  you 
have  not  frightened  me  so  badly  that  I  am 
weak." 

"Would  anything  frighten  Meester?"  asked 


28 

the  captain,  smiling  pleasantly.  "When  my 
master,  the  devil,  learns  that  we  have  brought 
him  a  man  who  fears  nothing,  neither  the  mouth 
of  a  gun  nor  the  face  of  the  devil,  he  will  say, 
'Good,  good',  for  he  loves  a  brave  man,  and  I, 
perhaps,  shall  receive  a  handful  of  pistoles  the 
more." 

"May  it  be  a  double  handful  of  pistoles," 
answered  Henry,  not  to  be  outdone  in  polite- 
ness. Then  he  mounted  his  horse. 

After  all  were  mounted  they  moved  forward. 
The  French  captain,  who  earlier  in  the  day  had 
affected  ignorance  of  the  road,  now  seemed  to 
know  it  well  enough,  and  led  the  way  through 
a  mountain  pass,  leaving  poor  old  Peter  tear- 
fully watching  his  master,  as  Henry  rode  out  of 
sight  on  his  journey  to  a  world  of  new  hap- 
penings, and  perhaps  of  marvelous  fortune. 


CHAPTER  III 

HIS  MOTHER  AND  HEK  SON 

AT  three  o'clock  in  the  afternoon  of  the  same 
stormy  day  in  March,  Adolph,  Margrave  of 
Schwedt,  was  very  drunk,  and  his  mother  sit- 
ting near  him*  was  sound  asleep.  Usually  at 
three  o  'clock  his  serene  Highness  was  still  quite 
alert,  for  it  was  not  Adolph 's  custom  to  reach 
his  maximum  condition  until  say  four  or  half 
past.  By  that  time  the  servants  felt  themselves 
more  or  less  aggrieved  if  he  were  not  asleep, 
since  in  the  household  of  the  Margrave,  the 
mice  would  play  when  Adolph  was  drunk. 

The  cause  of  the  advanced  stage  reached  by 
the  Margrave  at  so  early  an  hour  on  that  par- 
ticular day  was  an  exciting  conversation,  ap- 
proaching at  times  to  the  point  of  discussion, 
that  had  been  carried  on  during  the  earlier  part 
of  the  afternoon,  chiefly  by  his  mother,  the 
Margravine. 

So  it  may  be  easily  understood  that  while  the 
Margravine's  animated  discourse  postponed 
for  a  time  her  Highness 's  after-dinner  nap,  it 
advanced  Adolph 's  happiness  by  an  hour,  and 


30  A   GENTLE    KNIGHT 

brought  forgetfulness  before  its  time,  as  long 
continued  good  advice  is  apt  to  do. 

To  follow  closely  the  drift  of  his  mother's 
conversation,  Adolph  required  many  extra  flag- 
ons of  sour  beer  to  punctuate  her  Highness 's 
remarks,  to  stand  as  exclamation  points  when 
she  grew  eloquent,  and  to  emphasize  her  words 
when  she  wished  to  be  emphatic. 

Thus  it  appears  that  while  the  Margrave  of 
Bayreuth  and  his  son  were  holding  discourse  on 
the  subject  of  marriage  and  giving  in  marriage, 
Adolph  and  his  mother  were  discussing  the 
same  interesting  topic  in  their  good  city  of 
Schwedt  many  hundreds  of  miles  away,  and 
singularly  enough,  the  Princess  Wilhelmina 
was  their  theme. 

This  unusually  earnest  conversation  covered 
a  large  field  of  kindred  topics,  but  it  is  neces- 
sary to  give  only  those  portions  that  bear 
directly  on  the  subject  matter  of  this  history. 

"I  tell  you,  Adolph,  you're  a  fool,"  insisted 
the  Margravine,  with  sharp  emphasis.  "You 
are  nearly  twenty-eight  years  old  and  should 
know  better." 

"Doubtless  you're  right,  mother,"  returned 
Adolph.  "Nothing  so  disturbs  a  man's  rest 
as  wisdom.  Wisdom  makes  a  man  think, 
mother ;  it  makes  him  doubt  his  sweet  illusions ; 


OF   OLD   BRANDENBURG  31 

but  worst  of  all,  it  makes  him  believe  damnable 
truths.  It  makes  him — ach,  well,  mother,  I 
hope  you're  right.  A  fool  I  am,  a  fool  may  I 
remain. ' ' 

After  delivering  himself  of  a  jest  or  a  bit  of 
irony,  the  Margrave's  eyes  blinked  rapidly  for 
two  or  three  seconds,  as  if  to  say,  ''I  may  not 
laugh  at  my  own  humor,  but  I  think  that  is 
rather  good." 

The  Margrave's  eyes  were  of  so  light  a  blue 
that  at  times  they  seemed  to  be  almost  colorless. 
He  was  very  short,  very  round  and  very  fat. 
His  face  was  very  broad,  and  his  hands  and 
feet  were  larger  than  any  man  had  a  right  to 
possess  for  his  own  exclusive  use. 

"No,  you're  not  a  fool/'  impatiently  cried 
the  Margravine,  regardless  of  self-contradic- 
tion. "Many  persons  who  have  not  one-half 
your  brains,  nor  one-tenth  your  wit,  nor  one- 
hundredth  part  of  your  learning,  believe  you 
are  a  fool,  but  they  don't  know  you,  liebling, 
they  don't  know  you." 

The  old  lady  reached  over  to  Adolph's  chair 
and  caressingly  took  his  hand.  This  was 
early  in  the  afternoon,  before  the  Margravine 
had  become  either  eloquent  or  emphatic. 

"They  think  you  are  a  fool,"  she  continued, 
"because  they  judge  you  by  the  expression  of 


32  A   GENTLE   KNIGHT 

your  face  and  by  what  they  call  your  foolish 
grin.  To  me  the  grin  is  a  sweet  smile,  because 
I  know  that  back  of  it  are  intelligence,  gentle- 
ness, honor  and  truth.  Others  do  not  under- 
stand that  what  they  are  pleased  to  call  your 
silly  expression  is  merely  beer  and  kindliness, 
so  judging  as  the  world  usually  does,  by  surface 
appearances,  they  put  you  down  for  a  fool.  No, 
my  son,  you're  not  a  fool  in  a  general  way;  it 
is  only  in  this  particular  case  that  you  are 
lacking.  I  am  provoked  that  you,  who  are  wise 
and  of  discerning  judgment  at  all  other  times, 
should  be  a  fool  now  when  you  need  wisdom 
more  than  at  any  other  period  in  your  life. 
Great  things  await  you,  Adolph;  great  things 
of  which  you  are  wholly  worthy,  and  your  only 
folly  consists  in  your  present  fear,  doubt  and 
hesitancy.  No,  my  son,  you're  not  a  fool." 

" Please,  mother,  don't  take  from  me  my 
only  hope,"  pleaded  Adolph,  blinking  and 
chuckling  till  his  fat  sides  shook.  "You  are 
wrong ;  I  am  an  elaborate  fool  in  a  broad,  beau- 
tiful, comprehensive  sense.  But  in  this  par- 
ticular case — "  The  Margrave  sighed,  quaffed 
a  great  potation  of  beer,  and  continued:  " — but 
in  this  case — well,  mother,  you  will  pardon  me 
for  saying  so,  but  I  am  wise  and  you  are  a  fool ; 
a  fool  to  believe  that  any  woman,  least  of  all  a 


OF   OLD   BRANDENBURG  33 

young  and  beautiful  girl,  could  care  for  me  save 
for  what  she  could  get  from  me." 

"No,  no,  son.  No,  no,"  pleaded  the  loving 
old  mother. 

"Yes,  mother,  you  are  wrong.  You  are  not 
content  with  mere  folly ;  you  insist  on  nothing 
less  than  downright  insanity  when  you  allow 
your  love  for  me  to  raise  a  hope  that  the  most 
beautiful  princess  in  the  world  could — could — 
Ach,  dear  mother,  you  must  see  a  physician 
that  can  minister  to  a  mind  diseased." 

The  Margrave  laughed  softly,  but  there  was 
a  note  of  pain  in  his  voice  and  an  expression  of 
keen  regret  glimmered  for  a  moment  on  his 
kindly,  ugly  face. 

"No,  mother,"  he  continued  with  a  sigh;  "I 
am  too  short  by  a  foot  and  too  broad  by  nearly 
two  feet  to  suit  a  lady's  taste.  You  have  just 
said  that  my  face  wears  the  expression  of  a 
fool.  Ach,  there  is  nothing  about  me  to  please 
a  lady.  I  know  it;  please  don't  arouse  my 
vanity.  It  sleeps  and  may  cause  me  a  deal  of 
trouble  if  it  wakens." 

The  Margrave  paused  for  a  moment,  straight- 
ened up  in  his  chair,  dropped  for  a  time  his 
bantering  mood,  and  spoke  with  sorrowing 
earnestness. 

"I  know  that  I'm  not  a  fool,  but  with  this 
3 


34  A   GENTLE   KNIGHT 

grinning,  thick-lipped,  blear-eyed  landscape  of 
a  face,  I  can't  make  the  world  believe  other- 
wise." Again  he  fell  back  to  the  jesting  vein: 
"It  is  true  that  at  times  pearls  of  wisdom  and 
gems  of  wit  drop  from  my  lips,  but  the  trouble 
is  this :  people  see  me  all  the  time  and  hear  me 
only  part  of  the  time,  so  you  see  the  chances  are 
against  me  proportionately  and  my  face  is  sure 
to  win.  Why,  therefore,  should  I  try  to — to 
climb  to  the  mountain  top  only  to  fall  off?  I'll 
remain  just  a  contented  fool,  drink  my  beer  of 
afternoons  with  my  dear  old  mother,  and  after 
all,  I'll  beat  the  majority  of  mankind  in  the 
race  for  happiness." 

"No,  no,  Adolph,"  said  the  Margravine, 
gently.  "The  Princess  Wilhelmina  is  so  kind, 
so  sweet  and  so  wise  that  she  will  soon  learn 
to  see  your  worth.  She  will  not  laugh  at  you 
as  giddy  fools  do.  She  will  revel  in  your  wit, 
glory  in  your  wisdom,  love  your  gentle  strength, 
and  eagerly  glean  knowledge  from  your  learn- 
ing." 

"Ach,  Mutter-liebling,  I  wish  I  could  agree 
with  you." 

"You  may,  you  must,  you  shall!"  insisted 
the  Margravine.  "Where  is  there  a  German 
born  prince  that  speaks  English  as  you  do?— 
and  you  know  Mina  loves  the  language  better 


OF   OLD   BRANDENBURG  35 

than  she  loves  her  own.  She  has  been  instructed 
in  it  since  her  babyhood  because  of  her  be- 
trothal to  the  English  prince.  I  admit  that 
the  treaty  of  betrothal  to  Prince  Frederick  of 
England  still  exists  in  a  manner,  but  it  holds 
only  by  a  thread,  and  has  never  been  a  treaty  in 
fact.  The  English  king,  George,  will  never 
consent  to  the  marriage,  and  Grumkow  says 
that  Mina's  father,  though  to  all  appearances 
abiding  by  the  old  contract,  would  die  before 
entering  into  an  alliance  with  his  hated  brother- 
in-law.  ' ' 

"Grumkow  knows  if  any  one  does,"  inter- 
rupted Adolph,  only  too  eager  to  be  convinced. 

"Yes,  you  may  be  sure  Grumkow  knows 
whereof  he  speaks,"  returned  the  Margravine, 
"for  he  is  something  more  than  a  mere  prime 
minister — he  is  the  king's  rudder  and  sails. 
Frederick  William  moves  only  as  Grumkow 
pulls  the  tiller  ropes." 

"True,  true,"  said  Adolph,  "and  Grumkow 
is  our  friend." 

"Now  listen  to  me,  my  dear  son,  and  this  is 
for  your  ear  only.  Grumkow  writes  to  me  that 
the  King  of  Prussia  will  soon  repudiate  this 
quasi-treaty  with  England,  and  that  before 
many  days  the  beautiful  Wilhelmina  will  be 
free  to  marry  elsewhere.  Listen.  Grumkow 


36  A   GENTLE    KNIGHT 

says  she  shall  be  yours  for  the  sake  of  the 
allodial  estates,  and — and  perhaps  for  private 
reasons  of  his  own.  Whatever  Grumkow 
wishes  King  Frederick  to  do,  the  king  usually 
does." 

"But  what  has  the  hatred  of  the  King  of 
Prussia  and  King  George  for  each  other  to  do 
with  the  princess's  hatred  of  me?"  asked 
Adolph,  shrugging  his  shoulders.  "She  has 
seen  me  but  once ;  that  was  enough.  Adi,  GottI 
too  much.  She  has  a  sweet  voice  and  a  pretty 
laugh,  but  no  voice  is  sweet  when  it  laughs  at 
you.  There  is  a  vast  difference  between  being 
laughed  at  and  laughed  with.  1  saw  the  prin- 
cess two  years  ago,  and  as  you  know,  her  beauty 
and  sweetness  made  me  lose  my  heart.  I  thank 
God  I  saved  my  head,  though  I  also  came  near 
losing  it.  I've  carried  a  burden  of  unrest  ever 
since.  True,  it  is  not  killing  me — 
"No,  no,  my  son.  No,  no,  it  is  not." 
"But  I'm  no  such  fool  as  to  want  to  add  to 
it.  The  princess  saw  me,  and  you  attributed 
her  laughter  to  inexperience  and  youth.  You 
see,  mother,  to  be  laughed  at  I  need  but  to  be 
seen,  and  seen  too  oft,  familiar  with  my  face, 
I'm  not  endured,  nor  pitied,  nor  embraced.  A 
woman  is  more  apt  to  love  a  man  who  she  fears 
will  kill  her  than  one  at  whom  she  inclines  to 


OF   OLD   BRANDENBURG  37 

laugh.  Farewell,  a  long  farewell,  dear  mother, 
to  all  your  dreams  of  greatness.  I'm  wedded 
to  my  beer,  and  I'll  remain  true  to  the  one  mis- 
tress that  I  know  will  be  true  to  me." 

11  What  will  the  Princess  Mina  have  to  do 
with  the  choice  of  a  husband?"  asked  the 
Margravine.  "Her  mad  old  father  will  not 
consult  her.  He  will  consider  himself  over- 
indulgent  if  he  notifies  her  when  he  makes  his 
choice.  His  will  is  law  throughout  all  Bran- 
denburg and  Prussia,  and  every  other  will,  to 
whomsoever  it  belongs,  must  be  opposed  for  the 
pure  love  of  stubbornness.  Above  all,  neither 
Mina  nor  the  Crown  Prince  Fritz  shall  have 
their  way  in  any  respect,  however  just  or  rea- 
sonable it  may  be.  Therefore,  Mina's  inclina- 
tion for  a  man  would  ruin  his  prospects  with 
the  king. ' ' 

"And  the  lack  of  her  inclination  would  ruin 
her  prospects  with  me,"  said  Adolph,  gloomily. 

"It  is  true  that  Grumkow  rules  the  king," 
continued  the  Margravine,  unmindful  of 
Adolph 's  remark,  "but  he  does  it  indirectly  and 
frequently  accomplishes  his  purpose  by  pre- 
tending to  oppose  the  will  of  his  master.  Grum- 
kow  says  the  king  hates  Fritz  and  Mina.  No 
one  knows  why.  But  I  am  sure  it  is  true  that 
he  hates  his  own  flesh  and  blood,  and  many  per- 


38  A   GENTLE    KNIGHT 

sons  at  the  courts  of  Berlin  and  Potsdam  be- 
lieve he  wishes  the  prince  and  the  princess 
dead." 

" Ach,  he  is  an  old  devil,  and  Grumkow  is  his 
imp,"  exclaimed  Adolph,  shaking  his  head 
regretfully. 

"Yes — yes,"  returned  the  Margravine,  im- 
patient at  Adolph's  interruption.  "Grumkow 
also  says  the  prince  is  a  dissolute  young  fellow 
and  a  disobedient  son,  and  that  he  would  be 
tried  and  executed  as  any  other  guilty  citizen 
if  his  disobedience  reached  a  point  where  trea- 
son could  be  charged.  Yes,  it's  hard  to  believe, 
but  it  is  true  that  the  old  king  would  not,  for 
a  moment,  stand  in  the  way  of  justice  or  of 
injustice  if  his  son  were  on  trial  for  treason. 
Grumkow  has  often  told  me  that  he  believes  the 
old  king's  bad  heart  would  rejoice  if  his  son 
should  be  court-martialed  and  shot.  Oh,  he's 
crazy,  that  old  king !  Mad,  mad ! ' ' 

"Not  so  mad  as  he  is  bad,"  suggested 
Adolph. 

"Yes,  my  son,  he's  mad,  and  soon  will  die. 
Mark  my  word,  Adolph,  yon,  who  are  the  first 
prince  of  the  blood,  may  become  King  of  Prus- 
sia and  Brandenburg  without  a  dissenting  voice 
if  the  Crown  Prince  dies  too,  and  yon  the  hus- 
band of  the  Princess  Wilhelmina.  Our  uncle, 


OF   OLD   BRANDENBURG  39 

the  Emperor  of  Austria,  ardently  desires  the 
match,  and  our  cousin,  King  George  of  Eng- 
land, who  hates  his  brother-in-law,  would  re- 
joice. King  Frederick  William  likes  you.  I 
know  not  why — perhaps  because  you  can  drink 
so  much  beer — but  for  some  reason  he  likes  you, 
and  if  we  are  on  hand  when  the  English 
betrothal  is  broken,  Grumkow  and  Baron  von 
Seckendorf,  my  uncle's  spies  at  the  court  of 
Berlin,  will  see  that  the  hand  of  the  Princess 
Mina  is  offered  to  you,  my  son,  is  offered  to 
you." 

( 'But,  mother,  I  could  not  marry  a  woman 
against  her  will,"  objected  Adolph. 

"That  need  not  be,  my  son,"  returned  the  old 
lady,  impatiently.  "I  tell  you,  the  princess  is 
not  only  sweet  of  nature  and  beautiful,  as 
you  well  know,  but  she  is  wise  and  learned, 
and  will  in  time  see  your  worth.  If  she  does 
not  love  you  at  first,  she  will  soon  learn  to  after 
marriage,  for  any  man,  unless  he  be  a  fool,  can 
win  a  woman  if  he  has  her  always  by  his  side." 

The  old  lady  uttered  the  last  sentence  hesitat- 
ingly, and  her  doubt  seemed  to  infect  the  Mar- 
grave. 

"You  do  not  believe  what  you  say,  mother," 
said  Adolph,  sleepily. 

The  long-delayed  after-dinner  nap  was  begin- 


40  A   GENTLE    KNIGHT 

ning  to  assert  itself,  and  the  Margravine  was 
almost  ready  to  surrender.  "I — I  think  I  do, 
son,"  ventured  the  drowsy  old  lady.  "But  in 
any  case,  I'm  sure  you  could  win  the  princess, 
and  I  know  she  would  be  contented  and  happy 
in  your  arms." 

"Do  you  believe  what  you  are  saying, 
mother?"  asked  the  Margrave,  arousing  him- 
self and  speaking  earnestly.  "I  would  give 
half  the  years  of  my  life  if  I  could  even  dream 
of  the  bliss  of  possessing  her  and  her  love.  In 
all  the  world  no  heart  bears  a  greater  burden 
of  love  than  mine  holds  for  this  beautiful  prin- 
cess, and  even  a  faint  hope  of  winning  her  would 
make  me  the  happiest  man  in  Europe.  But  I 
would  not  take  her  without  her  love.  I  would 
die  first." 

"We  can  at  least  try  for  it,  Adolph,"  re- 
turned the  Margravine.  "She  will  be  com- 
pelled to  marry  some  one  that  does  not  suit  her. 
You  can't  save  her  from  that  fate  by  refusing 
her  hand.  If  the  unfortunate  girl  is  to  be 
forced  to  marry  against  her  will,  she  would  be 
better  off  to  marry  you,  who  are  kind  and  good, 
than  to  marry  a  dissolute  fool  like  the  English 
prince,  or  a  beast  like  the  Duke  of  Weissenfels. 
She  certainly  would  choose  you  before  either 
of  these." 


OF   OLD   BRANDENBURG  41 

1  'It  would  not  be  flattering  to  be  chosen  be- 
cause I  am  the  least  of  three  evils,"  suggested 
the  Margrave,  drowsily. 

"No,  no,"  said  the  old  lady,  whose  head  was 
beginning  to  nod.  "But  if  she  is  so  great  a 
fool  as  not  to  see  you  as  you  are — you  are,  why 
—why,  we'll  not  marry  her — we'll  not  marry 
her.  We'll  just  let  her — let  her — let  her — her 
marry  Weissenfels,  and  then  she  will  be — will 
be  sorry — sorry — that — that — that —  '  but  the 
good  old  woman  had  run  out  of  words.  It  was 
three  o'clock  for  the  Margravine,  and  she  slept 
sweetly,  soundly,  noisily. 

It  was  near  the  hour  of  three  for  Adolph, 
also,  though  he  was  blissfully  unconscious  of 
the  fact  that  the  clock  had  struck  for  his 
mother,  so  he  rolled  about  in  his  great  arm- 
chair, chuckling,  laughing  and  talking  to  an 
audience  composed  of  his  sleeping  mother  and 
himself. 

"You  marry  the  princess,  mother,"  said  the 
Margrave,  chuckling  softly  and  laughing  at  the 
thought.  "She's  more  apt  to  take  you  than 
me.  You  marry  her  mother — I  mean  you 
marry  her,  not  her  mother.  Think  of  you 
marrying  her  mother !"  Adolph  laughed  softly 
and  continued,  as  if  speaking  to  himself: 
"Never  would  do — never  would  do.  Don't 


42  A   GENTLE    KNIGHT 

marry  her  mother;  marry  Stumpy,  the  old 
king."  It  was  rapidly  approaching  three  o'clock. 
"Let  Mina  marry  Stumpy 's  mother.  Ach, 
tush.  I  don't  know  who's  going  to  marry  who, 
and  I — I — don't — don't — care — a — a  kreutzer— 
er — er — not  a  kreutz — "  Neither  did  he  care. 
His  head  fell  forward,  his  chin  rested  on  his 
breast,  and  the  clock  struck  three  for  Adolph, 
Margrave  of  Schwedt. 

The  conversation,  brought  to  an  untimely  end 
at  three  o'clock,  was  resumed  next  morning. 
The  Margravine  urged  upon  Adolph  her  belief 
that  the  Princess  Mina  could  and  would  learn 
to  love  him  soon  after  marriage.  Poor  Adolph 
— than  whom  there  was  no  gentler,  kindlier  soul 
on  earth — believing  that  his  mother,  being  a 
woman,  knew  more  about  a  woman's  heart  than 
any  man  could  know,  at  length  felt  the  weight 
of  her  argument,  eagerly  grasped  at  the  straw 
of  hope  she  threw  to  him,  and  after  much  sober 
reasoning  pro  and  con,  began  to  see  the  situa- 
tion as  she  and  he  wished  to  see  it. 

But  he  was  wrong  in  his  premises.  No 
woman  knows  a  woman's  heart  as  a  man  may 
know  it.  A  woman  judges  other  women  by 
herself,  and  in  all  the  world  there  are  no  two 
women  alike.  A  woman  never  sees  all  of  an- 
other woman's  heart.  That  high  privilege  is 


OF   OLD   BRANDENBURG  43 

left  for  a  fortunate  man.  Beyond  a  few  gener- 
alities and  certain  small  particulars,  a  woman 
is  at  sea  concerning  her  sex,  frequently  includ- 
ing herself.  If  she  would  know  the  truth  she 
must  appeal  to  a  man  of  experience,  and  even 
then  she  will  not  learn  much. 

Adolph  had  no  experience  to  draw  upon.  He 
had  gained  no  knowledge  of  the  other  sex  that 
would  help  him  in  the  present  case,  but  down  in 
his  heart  he  feared  his  mother  was  wrong,  and 
doubted  if  it  were  possible  for  a  man  ever  to 
win  a  woman's  love.  An  instinct  born  of  his 
gentleness  seemed  to  tell  him  that  it  was  a  thing 
she  must  give,  and  that  it  must  not  only  be 
given  willingly  but  because  she  cannot  help 
giving. 

The  Margravine  had  not  thought  it  necessary 
to  tell  her  son  that  she  had  that  day  received 
letters  from  Prime  Minister  Grumkow  and  from 
Field,  Marshal  Baron  von  Seckendorf,  asking 
her  to  bring  Adolph  to  Berlin  with  a  view  to  a 
hasty  marriage  with  the  Princess  Wilhelmina. 
These  two  men,  though  high  in  the  councils  of 
Frederick  William,  were  secret  agents  and 
spies  of  the  Emperor  of  Austria,  who  sought 
to  absorb  Brandenburg  and  Prussia,  and  hoped 
to  use  Adolph  of  Schwedt  in  his  nefarious 
scheme.  The  emperor  and  his  agents  con- 


44  A   GENTLE   KNIGHT 

sidered  the  Margrave  little  more  than  a  half- 
witted fool.  They  knew  he  was  in  love. with 
the  Princess  Wilhelmina,  and  did  not  doubt 
that  he  would  marry  her  eagerly,  and  then 
become  a  willing  tool  in  their  hands.  This 
history  will  tell  whether  they  were  right  or 
wrong  in  their  opinion  of  him. 

It  is  a  great  pleasure  to  argue  with  one  who 
wishes  to  be  convinced,  and  conversely,  it  is 
delightful  to  be  convinced  along  the  lines  of 
one's  own  great  desire.  So  the  ardor  of  the 
Margravine  and  the  heart  of  the  Margrave  pre- 
vailed, and  within  a  few  days  they  started  for 
Berlin  to  be  present  at  the  explosion  which 
Grumkow  had  said  would  soon  take  place  be- 
tween King  George  of  England  and  Frederick 
William,  the  Stormy  King  of  Prussia  and 
Bradenburg. 


CHAPTER  IV 

A  WAYSIDE  INN 

FOE  three  days  Prince  Henry  and  his  friends 
marched  over  unfrequented  mountain  roads, 
avoiding  the  more  public  highways.  They  trav- 
eled till  dark  each  day,  stopped  over  night  at 
out  of  the  way  inns,  and  started  early  each 
morning  on  their  journey. 

Henry  soon  lost  all  knowledge  of  his  where- 
abouts, and  could  not  even  guess  at  either  the 
distance  or  the  direction  he  had  traveled. 

Late  in  the  evening  of  the  third  day,  the 
French  captain  ordered  a  halt  for  the  night  at 
an  obscure  inn  on  the  outskirts  of  a  small  mud- 
'  surrounded  village. 

The  situation,  awkward  and  wearisome  as  it 
was,  had  begun  to  have  its  redeeming  qualities. 
The  captain  and  all  the  members  of  the  ruffian 
company  seemed  to  do  their  utmost  to  be  polite 
and  attentive  to  their  prisoner,  and  although 
he  was  in  a  constant  state  of  wonder  con- 
cerning his  destination  and  fate,  the  man- 
ner in  which  the  whole  affair  was  conducted 
led  him  to  believe  that  the  outcome  of  the 
adventure  would  not  be  altogether  bad.  After 

45 


46  A   GENTLE    KNIGHT 

lie  had  grown  accustomed  to  the  new  state  of 
affairs,  he  began  to  enjoy  it,  and  the  element 
of  uncertainty  gave  it  zest.  It  must  not  be 
forgotten  that  he  was  running  away  from  the 
daughter  of  August,  and  wanted  to  find  a  hid- 
ing place.  The  men  that  had  captured  him 
might  be  of  great  assistance  in  finding  it. 

Thus  Henry  was  not  only  content  to  remain 
with  his  captors,  but  was  eager  to  reach  his 
destination,  wherever  it  might  be,  and  to  learn 
the  fate  in  store  for  him.  Concerning  his  fate 
he  had  no  hint,  neither  had  he  fear. 

On  entering  the  taproom  of  the  inn  at  which 
the  party  had  stopped  for  the  night,  Henry 
found  a  solitary  guest  sitting  at  a  long  table, 
drinking  beer  A  fat,  thick-lipped,  smiling 
face  beamed  up  to  the  newcomer,  and  the  man 
spoke  in  good  though  broken  English. 

"Good  evening,"  said  he,  with  a  broad  grin. 

Henry  answered  his  salutation  in  the  same 
language,  and  took  a  chair  on  the  opposite  side 
of  the  table. 

"Do  you  like  beer?"  asked  the  fat  man,  still 
speaking  English. 

"I  prefer  wine,"  answered  Henry. 

"Ach,  Himmel!  You  should  learn  to  like 
beer.  When  you  reach  Potsdam,  you  must 
learn  to  like  beer  if  you  hope  to  win  the  favor 


OF   OLD   BRANDENBURG  47 

of  the  Prussian  king.  I  tell  you,  my  friend,  I 
like  you  because  you  speak  English  so  well. 
Damn  this  guttural  tongue  of  ours.  I  like  Eng- 
lish because  the  Princess  Mina  speaks  it  and 
loves  it,  and  I  like  you  because  you  speak  it. 
Are  you  English?" 

"Perhaps  I  am,"  answered  Henry. 

"Ach,  well,"  replied  his  fat  friend,  "as  I 
said,  I  like  you  and  I  want  to  advise  you.  You 
must  learn  to  drink  beer  by  the  quart,  by  the 
gallon,  by  the  barrel.  I'll  tell  you  a  secret. 
King  Frederick  William  is  fond  of  me  because 
I  can  drink  so  much  beer.  I  can  drink  more 
beer  than  any  two  men  in  Lower  Brandenburg, 
and  I'll  lay  a  wager  on  it.  But  these  Lower 
Brandenburgers  know  nothing  of  the  gentle  art 
of  beer  drinking.  In  truth,  it  flourishes  only 
in  my  good  city  of  Schwedt,  and  one  must  go 
there  to  see  it  in  its  most  beautiful  develop- 
ment. My  dear  sir,"  continued  the  beer 
drinker,  giving  Henry  the  English  salutation, 
"I  have  seen  a  little  Schwedtish  man,  only  half 
as  tall  as  you,  and  not  half  so  broad  as  I,  drink 
a  bucketful  of  beer  without  taking  his  lips  from 
the  rim.  Ach,  my  friend,  it  was  beautiful. 
And  that  little  man  took  the  beer  home  with 
him,  too,  but  of  course  he  could  not  wear  his 
belt.  I  am  much  larger  than  the  little  man,  and 


48  A   GENTLE   KNIGHT 

I  could  easily  do  it.  It  was  my  beer  drinking 
that  first  attracted  his  Prussian  Majesty  and 
caused  him  to  want  me  for  a  son-in-law." 

It  is  unnecessary  to  say  that  the  fat  man  was 
comfortably  drunk. 

"Ah,  his  majesty  wants  you  for  a  son-in- 
law!"  exclaimed  Fritz  Henry,  concluding  that 
he  had  met  a  lunatic  or  a  great  wag.  ' '  I  salute 
you,  prince." 

"Not  'prince',"  answered  the  humorist, 
"simply  Adolph,  Margrave  of  Schwedt  and 
Knight  of  Brandenburg,  at  your  service." 
Whereupon  he  rose  and  bowed  profoundly. 

Henry  turned  upon  him  in  astonishment.  He 
had  often  heard  of  the  Margrave  of  Schwedt, 
and  remembered  many  extraordinary  stories 
of  his  eccentricities.  He  knew  that  the  Mar- 
grave of  Schwedt  was  the  head  of  one  of  the 
oldest,  noblest  families  in  Germany,  closely 
related  by  blood  to  the  Kings  of  England  and 
Prussia  and  the  Emperor  of  Austria.  This 
fellow  surely  was  nothing  more  than  a  vulgar 
inn  loafer,  created  for  the  sole  purpose  of 
consuming  beer. 

"My  friend,  you  certainly  are  both  bold  and 
peculiar  in  the  honors  you  thrust  upon  your- 
self," said  Henry,  good-naturedly.  "You  elect 
yourself  Margrave  of  Schwedt,  and  son-in-law 


OF   OLD   BRANDENBURG  49 

to  the  Prussian  King,  as  easily  as  I  might  call 
myself  a  trooper." 

"Auf  der  Teufel,  but  I  am  Schwedt!"  said 
the  king's  prospective  son-in-law,  rising  to  his 
feet,  bending  politely,  and  pressing  his  finger 
tips  against  his  expansive  breast.  "I  am 
Adolph,  Margrave  of  Schwedt,  and  I  can  prove 
it  to  you  by  my  mother  who  is  upstairs.  And 
I  have  received  an  invitation  to  go  to  Berlin  to 
marry  Princess  Wilhelmina,  and  if  you  think 
I  lie — der  Teufel — my  friend,  I'll  fight  you 
now ! ' ' 

''Accept  my  apology,"  said  Henry,  greatly 
amused,  and  almost  convinced  that  his  com- 
panion was  really  the  Margrave  of  Schwedt. 
''An  invitation  to  Berlin  to  marry  the  Princess 
Wilhelmina !  My  friend,  you  are  a  lucky  man. 
Allow  me  to  offer  my  congratulations." 

Adolph  sat  down. 

Henry  laughed,  but  the  Margrave  did  not 
appreciate  the  irony. 

''Yes,"  said  Adolph,  emphatically;  "to 
marry  the  Princess  Wilhelmina,  though  there 
is  a  condition — a  condition  of  my  own  making. 
But  the  offer  of  the  hand  of  the  Princess  Wil- 
helmina, even  with  an  'if,  is  better  than  the 
offer  of  any  other  princess  in  all  the  world  with- 
out it."  Here  the  Margrave  rose  to  his  feet, 

4 


50  A    GENTLE    KNIGHT 

leaned  earnestly  over  the  table  toward  Henry, 
and  continued:  "What  is  an  'if?  Two  little 
letters.  Wipe  them  off  the  slate  and  it  is  easy 
to  put  'is'  in  their  place.  Shall  I  ever  wipe  the 
slate  ?  I  cannot  tell.  You  cannot  tell.  No  one 
can  tell.  But  this  I  tell  you,  friend ;  she  is  the 
gentlest,  the  wittiest,  the  most  beautiful  prin- 
cess— the — the — Ach!  You  should  see  her! 
Every  curve  is  as  perfect  as  a  rainbow's  bend. 
Every  line  has  the  grace  of  the  Medician  Venus. 
Her  eyes  are  like  the  bright  stars  on  a  moon- 
less night,  and  her  voice — Ac\i,  friend,  it  is  as 
the  music  of  a  glad  heart!  Her  words  are 
gentle  and  wise,  and  her  thoughts  are  as  sweet 
»and  as  fresh  as  a  morning  breath  from  a  field 
of  roses.  Ach,  I  tell  you,  I  love,  I  love !  But 
wait  till  you  reach  Potsdam  and  see  her.  Then 
you  will  know  for  yourself.  Even  my  love-elo- 
quent tongue  cannot  describe  to  you  the  smallest 
part  of  her  perfections.  One  must  see  her  and 
love  her,  and  dream  of  her  to  realize  her  beauty. 
I  have  said — much." 

Exhausted  by  his  efforts,  the  Margrave  re- 
sumed his  seat  and  buried  his  face  in  the  mouth 
of  a  huge  flagon. 

"But  I  am  not  going  to  Potsdam  nor  Berlin," 
said  Henry,  still  speaking  English.  "I  am  the 
captive  of  this  band  of  outlaws  and  God  only 


OF    OLD    BRANDENBUEG  51 

knows  where  they  are  taking  me  and  what  their 
intentions  are  when  we  reach  our  journey's 
end." 

Adolph  sprang  to  his  feet,  pointed  dramat- 
ically at  Fritz  Henry,  paused  for  a  moment, 
and  said  in  a  tragic  manner: 

' '  You  were  kidnaped  1 ' ' 

"Yes." 

"I  knew  it,"  responded  the  other.  "I  knew 
it  when  I  saw  you  coming  in  with  your  fine  body 
guard  of  ruffians.  I  knew  it  by  your  height. 
You  are  intended  for  The  Regiment." 

Adolph  leaned  backward  and  fixed  his  gaze 
on  Henry,  who  whistled  to  express  surprise, 
laughed  and  said : 

"Upon  my  word,  I  believe  you're  right!  I 
have  been  pondering  for  three  days  and  nights 
trying  to  find  out  why  I  was  waylaid,  and  you, 
who  know  nothing  of  my  case,  have  solved  the 
riddle  in  thirty  seconds." 

Henry  stretched  back  in  his  chair  and 
laughed.  The  Margrave  remained  serious  and 
said  with  suppressed  pride: 

"Yes,  that  is  true." 

"I  had  forgotten  all  about  Frederick  "Wil- 
liam's custom  of  kidnaping  tall  men  for  his 
Giant  Regiment,"  said  Fritz  Henry,  looking  at 
the  Margrave  with  increased  interest.  "Prob- 


52  A   GENTLE   KNIGHT 

ably  Berlin  is  my  destination,  and  perhaps  I  am 
to  become  a  Prussian  Grenadier.  Ah,  Mar- 
grave, your  wit  should  make  your  fortune. ' ' 

The  Margrave  smiled  broadly,  shiningly, 
drank  at  one  swallow  nearly  a  pint  of  beer, 
smiled  again  and  said : 

4 'Well,  if  you  will  have  it  so,  perhaps  I  am  no 
fool.  But,  my  friend,  I  would  ask  a  favor. 
Please  don't  tell  any  one  of  your  discovery.  A 
fool  has  so  niany  advantages  and  immunities  in 
this  world  that  with  wit  he  can  overthrow 
mountains.  I  have  been  told  that  faith  is  help- 
ful, but  wit,  my  friend,  wit  is  what  will  really 
throw  the  mountain  on  his  back,  and  a  fool  with 
wit  is  thrice  armed.  Wits!  Of  course  I  have 
wits.  Fortune?  Of  course  my  wits  shall  win 
it  for  me!  You  are  going  to  Berlin?  When 
you  are  there,  my  friend,  stand  by  and  see  my 
wits  operate.  Just  watch  them,  please,  but  not 
a  word,  mind  you;  not  a  word  to  indicate  that 
you  even  suspect  I  am  not  a  fool.  Wit  in  one 
who  seems  to  be  a  fool  is  doubly  strong.  I  will 
show  you  a  mystery.  A  word  which,  from  a 
man  of  acknowledged  wisdom,  may  pass  almost 
unnoticed,  falling  from  my  lips,  would  be  looked 
upon  as  a  wonder  of  sapiency.  The  world  al- 
ways considers  the  source,  you  see — but  you 
understand. ' ' 


OF   OLD   BRANDENBURG  53 

"Yes,  I  understand,"  replied  Fritz  Henry, 
"and  I'll  respect  your  unusual  wish." 

"Thank  you,"  answered  Adolph,  gravely. 
"But  concerning  the  doings  of  my  wit  at  Ber- 
lin, listen!  Look  at  me."  Henry  looked  and 
with  difficulty  suppressed  a  laugh.  "Notice 
my  face,"  continued  the  Margrave.  "Beauti- 
ful?" 

"I  should  not  call  it  so,"  answered  Fritz 
Henry. 

"No.  It  is  as  far  from  being  beautiful  as 
one  can  well  imagine,"  said  the  Margrave, 
seriously  and  somewhat  sadly. 

"Perhaps  you  are  right,"  answered  Fritz 
Henry. 

* '  Now  notice,  if  you  please,  my  belt  line ;  my 
legs;  my  feet.  Himmel!  Did  God  ever  give 
such  feet  to  another  man?"  The  Margrave 
looked  at  his  feet,  nodded  his  head  regretfully, 
and  sighed  as  if  the  question  he  had  asked  were 
one  to  be  given  up. 

Henry  laughed  outright. 

"Good,"  continued  the  Margrave.  "The  'if 
I  spoke  of  in  his  Prussian  Majesty's  offer  of 
the  princess  is  this.  I  may  have  the  princess 
if  I  win  her  and  her  mother.  The  'if*  exists 
because  I  wish  it  to  exist,  not  that  the  will  of 
the  princess  or  the  queen  would  in  any  way 


54  A   GENTLE   KNIGHT 

affect  the  king's  purposes.  With  this  face,  this 
body,  these  legs  and  feet,  if  I  win  the  princess— 
I  say  if  I  win  the  princess,  I  believe  it  will  be 
the  greatest  achievement  ever  accomplished  by 
a  man's  unaided  wit.  But  I'm  going  to  win 
her.  Mother  says  I  shall,  and  mother  is  a  wise 
woman.  You  shall  meet  my  mother  to-morrow, 
and  then  judge  for  yourself." 

"With  pleasure,"  answered  Henry,  who  was 
sleepy.  Turning  to  the  French  captain,  he  said : 
"With  your  permission,  I'll  go  to  bed.  You 
need  not  set  a  guard,  for  I  am  quite  as  eager  to 
go  to  Berlin  as  you  are  to  take  me.  Had  you 
told  me  your  destination,  you  would  have  saved 
yourself  the  trouble  of  guarding  me  these  last 
three  days.  I  am  glad  to  go  to  Berlin,  but,  my 
friend,  when  we  reach  there,  you  may  be  glad 
to  get  away. ' ' 

"It  may  be  true.  I  have  doubted  of  late," 
answered  the  French  captain.  "I  told  Big 
John  but  yesterday  I  feared  we  had  bitten  off 
more  than  we  could  swallow,  and  perhaps  had 
taken  a  greater  fish  than  we  could  land.  We 
have  tried  to  be  courteous  to  Monsieur,  and  I 
hope  that  Monsieur  will  stand  our  friend  at 
the  Berlin  if  our  master  has  the  displeasure  of 
our  zeal.  Should  Monsieur  prefer  to  travel  to 


OF   OLD   BRANDENBURG  55 

Berlin  alone,  or  if  he  wishes  to  go  free,  he  may 
do  either  to  his  pleasure." 

"No,"  said  Henry.  "You  must  finish  what 
you  have  begun,  and  I'll  try  to  see  that  no  ill 
fortune  overtakes  you  in  Berlin.  The  adven- 
ture may  fall  in  strangely  with  my  desire,  but 
we  shall  see.  Good-night,  Margrave." 

"Good-night,  sir — sir —  Shall  I  say  'my 
lord'  or  'earl'  or — I  have  not  the  pleasure  of 
your  title,  nor  is  your  name  on  my  tongue. ' ' 

"There  is  no  title,"  answered  Fritz  Henry. 
"My  name  is  Captain  Henry  Churchill,  one 
time  of  the  army  of — of — many  countries." 

"Shall  I  not  say  'Sir'?  I  am  sure  you  are 
a  knight?"  suggested  the  Margrave,  inter- 
rogatively. 

"I  am  not  even  a  knight,"  answered  Henry. 

"Ach,  you  shall  be.  I  myself  will  make  you 
a  Knight  of  Brandenburg.  It  is  my  own 
Order.  At  present  I  am  its  only  member,  but 
it  will  grow — it  will  grow,  and  the  day  may 
come  when  the  Cordon  Bleu,  the  Cordon  Rouge, 
and  the  Garter  will  not  be  of  greater  repute. ' ' 

"I  thank  you,"  said  Henry.     "Good-night." 

The  next  morning  Captain  Henry  met  the 
Margravine  of  Schwedt  as  she  was  about  to 
enter  her  coach,  and  the  two  parties  started  on 


56  A   GENTLE    KNIGHT 

the  last  stage  of  their  journey  to  Berlin.  Late 
in  the  same  day  they  entered  the  muddy  city. 

The  Margrave  and  his  mother  at  once  pre- 
sented themselves  at  the  palace  and  were  wel- 
comed and  put  to  bed.  Prince  Henry  was 
taken  to  the  castle,  and  was  conducted  to  a 
comfortable  room.  He  asked  to  be  presented 
to  the  king  at  once,  but  the  hour  was  late  and 
the  request  was  refused.  He  was  not  disap- 
pointed, for  he  had  not  made  up  his  mind  what 
course  he  wished  to  take.  He  knew  he  could 
regain  his  liberty  at  any  time  by  announcing 
that  he  was  the  Hereditary  Prince  of  Bayreuth ; 
therefore  his  position  held  no  terrors  for  him. 

Membership  in  the  Grenadier  Eegiment 
under  the  name  of  Captain  Churchill  would 
secure  him  the  hiding  place  he  wanted,  and  pro- 
tect him  from  the  kindly  intentions  of  August 
the  Stark.  By  becoming  a  Grenadier,  he  would 
find  not  only  a  hiding  place,  but  also  an  oppor- 
tunity to  earn  a  livelihood. 

On  the  other  hand,  to  enter  the  spectacular 
regiment  of  this  half-mad  old  king  seemed  to 
be  so  great  a  degradation  that,  after  thinking 
it  over,  Henry  determined  to  tell  King  Fred- 
erick "William  as  soon  as  possible  next  morning 
that  his  Majesty's  over-zealous  recruiting  offi- 
cers had  kidnaped  the  Hereditary  Prince  of 


57 

Bayreuth,  who  in  rank  was  the  equal  of  the 
Prussian  Crown  Prince. 

But  much  that  we  intend  to  do  to-morrow  is 
like  to-morrow  itself  in  that  it  never  comes  to 
pass. 


CHAPTER  V 

THE  PRINCESS  BEAUTIFUL 

WHEN  Fritz  Henry  wakened  the  next  morn- 
ing, he  was  still  of  the  same  opinion,  and  after 
breakfast  demanded  to  be  taken  before  tho 
king.  A  royal  audience  was  easily  obtained 
by  the  humblest  person  in  Prussia,  but  the  king 
was  always  eager  to  receive  new  recruits  for 
the  Grenadier  Regiment,  and  treated  them  with 
great  consideration.  The  Grenadier  Regiment 
was  dearer  to  his  heart  than  the  queen  and  all 
her  children.  He  loved  it  better  than  all  his 
other  possessions.  He  knew  every  man  in  it 
by  name,  and  when  his  recruiting  officers  were 
so  fortunate  as  to  kidnap  a  tall  man  and  bring 
him  safely  to  Berlin,  he  made  it  his  most  im- 
portant business  to  see  the  new  conscript,  and, 
if  possible,  to  win  him.  So  Fritz  Henry's  re- 
quest for  an  audience  was  granted  and  he 
started  for  the  palace,  accompanied  by  an 
officer  of  the  regiment  and  the  Frenchman 
who  had  kidnaped  him. 

Henry  entered  the  audience  chamber,  which 
in  this  case  happened  to  be  the  Mirrored  Hall, 
in  an  indignant  state  of  mind.  He  had  resolved 

58 


OF   OLD   BRANDENBURG  59 

not  only  to  disclose  his  own  identity  and  to 
demand  immediate  release,  but  to  give  King 
Frederick  William  to  understand  that  there 
could  be  no  amity  between  Brandenburg  and 
Bayreuth  until  his  Prussian  Majesty  had  made 
humble  apology  and  proper  amends.  But  a 
man's  fate  usually  turns  on  the  pivot  of  a 
moment,  and  that  proved  to  be  true  with  Fritz 
Henry  on  this  occasion. 

When  he  entered  the  audience  chamber,  the 
first  person  he  saw  was  our  friend  Adolph, 
Margrave  of  Schwedt.  The  second  was  a  fair 
girl  of  nineteen  or  twenty,  standing  near  the 
Margrave,  and  Fritz  Henry's  life  turned  on 
the  pivot  of  that  moment.  He  had  never  seen 
the  Princess  Wilhelmina,  but  he  knew  that  the 
girl  standing  beside  the  Margrave  was  her 
Royal  Highness. 

Presently  Adolph  espied  Henry  in  the  crowd 
of  courtiers,  nodded  to  him  pleasantly,  and  then 
spoke  to  the  princess.  She  turned  her  head 
toward  Fritz  Henry,  discovered  him,  and  much 
to  her  own  astonishment  and  to  Henry's 
surprise ,  nodded  as  if  in  recognition.  The 
next  instant  she  was  scarlet.  She  had  not 
intended  to  nod,  for,  of  course,  she  did  not 
know  even  so  much  as  the  stranger's  name.  To 
punish  the  young  man's  audacity  in  allowing 


60  A   GENTLE   KNIGHT 

her  to  nod  to  him,  the  princess  turned  away, 
feeling  that  in  some  way  she  had  been  badly 
used. 

Henry's  resolve  to  ask  the  king  to  release 
him,  and  his  purpose  to  insist  upon  a  royal 
apology  evaporated  when  he  first  beheld  the 
princess,  but  when  she  nodded  to  him,  he  deter- 
mined to  ask  the  king  to  take  him  into  the  regi- 
ment as  a  favor  that  could  not  be  too  highly 
prized.  Hardly  had  this  resolve  taken  form 
when  he  was  summoned  before  the  king,  who 
was  standing  like  the  statue  of  stubbornness  in 
a  little  open  space  left  by  the  surrounding 
courtiers. 

"Well,"  said  the  king,  when  Fritz  Henry 
approached.  "Well?" 

Henry  was  about  to  kneel  in  saluting  his 
Majesty,  but  the  king  said  gruffly:  "No,  no, 
man.  Get  up!  I  hear  you  have  behaved  well 
on  your  journey  and  that  you  desire  to  enter 
our  regiment." 

"As  to  my  behavior,"  responded  Henry, 
smiling  broadly,  "I  refer  your  Majesty  to  the 
men  who  conducted  me  to  Berlin.  I  am  not 
aware  that  I  have  expressed  a  desire  to  enter 
your  Majesty's  regiment,  but — but—  '  Henry 
paused,  looked  at  the  floor  for  a  moment, 
glanced  toward  the  Princess  Wilhelmma,  turned 


OF   OLD   BKANDENBURG  61 

his  face  again  toward  the  king,  and  said :  *  *  But 
I  now  do  make  the  request.  I  wish  to  enter 
your  Majesty's  Grenadier  Begiment." 

On  hearing  Henry  express  so  unusual  a 
desire,  the  princess,  who  stood  within  three 
yards  of  him,  quickly  turned  with  a  look  of 
unfeigned  surprise.  Her  eyes  seemed  to  be 
interrogation  points,  for  under  like  conditions 
she  was  accustomed  to  hear  entreaty,  indig- 
nation and  threats  from  men  her  father  had 
kidnaped. 

Henry  returned  the  princess's  gaze  and 
answered  the  question  asked  by  her  eyes  as  if 
he  were  speaking  to  the  king. 

"Yes,  I  wish  to  enter  the  most  famous  regi- 
ment in  the  world  under  the  most  famous  king 
in  Europe." 

No  man  was  more  disposed  to  shy  at  flattery 
than  hard  Prussian  Majesty,  so  replying  to 
Fritz  Henry,  he  asked: 

1  'What  is  it  you  want  that  you  flatter  us?" 

"I  want  nothing,  your  Majesty,"  answered 
Fritz  Henry,  "unless  you  wish  to  give  me  a 
commission.  I  was  once  a  captain  in  the  army 
of  King  Charles  of  Sweden,  and  for  two  years 
bore  a  captain's  commission  in  the  English 
army.  I  have  served  in  Italy  and  France,  but 


62  A   GENTLE   KNIGHT 

if  your  Majesty  has  no  commission  for  me,  I 
am  willing  to  take  my  place  in  the  ranks. ' ' 

"What  is  your  name?"  demanded  the  king. 

"I  am  known  as  Captain  Henry  Churchill." 

"You  are  known  as  Captain  Henry  Church- 
ill?" asked  his  Majesty.  "But  what  is  your 
name?" 

"I  have  given  you  a  name,  and  perhaps  if 
your  Majesty  will  take  a  second  thought,  you 
will  not  wish  to  know  any  other.  I  am  over  six 
feet  tall  and  in  good  health.  I  have  been  led  to 
believe  that  your  Majesty  cares  to  know  noth- 
ing more  about  a  man  who  wishes  to  enter  the 
regiment. ' ' 

The  king's  lips  emitted  a  sound,  half  grunt, 
half  snort,  that  seemed  to  acknowledge  the 
truth  of  what  Prince  Henry  had  said,  and  after 
a  moment's  pause,  his  Majesty  asked: 

"Where  are  you  from?" 

Henry  smiled,  looked  toward  the  king,  and 
answered:  "I  should  suppose  your  Majesty 
would  not  care  to  know  too  much  about  me 
since  you  have  caused  me  to  be  kidnaped.  Too 
much  knowledge,  like  a  little  learning,  may  be 
a  dangerous  thing." 

A  low  ripple  of  laughter  came  from  the 
courtiers  who  had  heard  Henry's  reply.  He 
spoke  English,  intending  to  give  the  king  a 


OF   OLD   BRANDENBURG  63 

hint  that  a  subject  of  King  George  of  England 
had  been  kidnaped.  His  name,  Churchill,  was 
more  than  a  hint  of  his  nationality.  The 
thought  would  hold  terror  for  this  rough  old 
king,  and  might  be  of  use  to  Henry  later  on. 

King  Frederick  William,  who  loved  a  spicy 
epigram  tinged  with  wisdom,  looked  at  Fritz 
Henry  with  the  expression  of  a  bated  bull,  but 
if  the  young  man's  flattery  had  alarmed  the 
king,  the  blunt  speech  reassured  him.  Desir- 
ing to  avoid  further  public  conversation  with 
the  new  recruit,  the  king  said: 

"I'll  see  you  at  the  barracks  in  half  an  hour, 
and  talk  the  matter  over." 

Henry  bowed,  took  several  steps  backward 
from  the  king,  and  stopped  beside  the  man  who 
had  conducted  him  to  the  palace.  His  Majesty 
turned  toward  the  prime  minister,  Grumkow, 
and  spoke  in  undertones : 

"I  believe  the  fellow  is  English.  If  King 
George  knew  that  I  had  kidnaped  him,  we  might 
find  ourselves  in  serious  trouble.  I  have  hardly 
patched  up  the  last  incident  of  that  kind. 
Come  with  me,  Grumkow!  Let  us  go  to  the 
barracks  and  talk  with  this  man.  He's  a  fine, 
big  fellow,  and  I  want  to  keep  him  if  I  can,  but 
I  don't  want  to  have  Hannover  and  England 
swarming  about  my  ears  on  his  account." 


64  A   GENTLE    KNIGHT 

Then  lie  stepped  up  to  Fritz  Henry,  saying: 
1  'Come,  my  man.  Come  with  Gmmkow  and 
me,  and  we'll  see  if  we  can  find  a  commission 
for  you." 

His  Majesty  unceremoniously  started  to  leave 
the  audience  chamber,  regardless  of  unfinished 
business,  for  in  the  king's  mind  no  affair  of 
state  could  equal  in  importance  the  acquisition 
of  a  new  Grenadier. 

Grumkow  indicated  to  Fritz  Henry  that  he 
should  follow  the  king,  but  the  king  and  his 
minister  were  detained  by  an  importunate 
courtier,  and  Henry  waited  until  the  business 
was  over.  While  he  was  waiting,  the  Margrave 
of  Schwedt  approached. 

"Did  you  see  me  with  the  princess?"  asked 
Adolph.  '  *  My  wit,  my  wit !  I  tell  you  it  will 
win  for  me,  even  though  the  princess  is  still 
betrothed  to  Prince  Frederick  of  England. 
She  has  been  most  gracious  to  me  all  morning, 
and  I  am  very  happy.  If  I  had  your  stature 
and  face  there  would  be  no  great  credit  in  win- 
ning her,  but  to  win  her  with  all  my — my  pecul- 
iarities will  be  an  accomplishment  worthy  of 
a  genius.  Did  you  see  the  princess  looking  at 
you?" 

"I  thought  her  back  was  turned  toward  me 
most  of  the  time,"  said  Fritz  Henry. 


OF    OLD    BRANDENBURG  65 

"That  is  true,"  answered  Adolph,  "but  she 
could  see  you  in  a  mirror.  Never  grieve,  my 
man,  because  a  woman  turns  her  back  on  you. 
She  may  be  watching  you  in  a  mirror.  Never 
rejoice  when  she  turns  her  face  toward  you; 
she  may  be  looking  at  another  man  over  your 
shoulder.  The  princess  looked  at  you  in  the 
mirror  and  over  my  shoulder.  Lucky  dog !  If 
you  were  of  high  degree,  by  Heaven,  I'd  run 
you  through!" 

* '  In  that  case,  I  'm  glad  I  am  of  low  degree, ' ' 
answered  Fritz  Henry,  laughing.  "Good-bye, 
Margrave.  I  hope  to  see  you  again." 

Henry  nodded  to  his  friend,  and  in  obedience 
to  Grumkow's  gesture,  followed  the  minister 
and  the  king.  When  in  the  street,  the  king  fell 
back  with  him  and  said: 

' '  Tell  me,  young  man,  are  you  English  ?  You 
speak  the  tongue  as  well  as  my  Mina  speaks  it." 

"If  your  Majesty  insists  on  knowing  who  and 
what  I  am,  I  shall  answer  your  question,"  re- 
turned Fritz  Henry.  "But  if  I  am  English, 
the  time  may  soon  come  when  you  will  be  glad 
to  be  able  to  answer  King  George's  questions 
honestly,  and  say  you  did  not  know  that  I  was 
his  subject  when  I  joined  the  regiment.  Per- 
haps I  had  better  say  to  you  that  I  am  not  Eng- 
lish, even  though  it  may  be  I  do  not  tell  the 

5 


66  A   GENTLE    KNIGHT 

exact  truth.  If  I  am  an  English  subject,  your 
Majesty  does  not  want  to  know  it  unless  you 
wish  to  send  me  home. ' ' 

Henry  was  in  high  spirits,  and  seemed  per- 
fectly willing  that  hard  old  Prussian  Majesty 
should  know  he  was  laughing  at  him.  The 
king  walked  beside  Fritz  Henry  for  several 
minutes,  gesticulating  and  muttering,  unde- 
termined how  to  meet  this  unprecedented  attack 
on  his  dignity.  To  do  the  king  justice,  dig- 
nity gave  him  less  trouble  than  any  other  of 
his  kingly  attributes.  He  was  always  willing 
to  sacrifice  it  for  a  substantial  benefit,  and  of 
all  substantial  benefits  that  could  come  to  him, 
a  six-foot  Grenadier  was  the  most  cherished. 

The  king  loved  his  daughter  Don't  Care  be- 
cause she  did  not  fear  him.  Like  all  violent 
bullies,  he  despised  those  who  cringed  before 
him,  and  respected  those  who  defied  him  and 
insisted  that  they,  as  well  as  he,  had  a  right 
to  live. 

At  first  Henry's  language  irritated  the  king, 
but  he  could  not  long  remain  angry  at  a  man 
who  was  about  to  do  him  the  great  favor  of 
voluntarily  entering  his  Grenadier  Eegiment. 
So  he  soon  began  to  admire  the  boldness  behind 
Henry's  words,  and  after  a  great  deal  of  mut- 


OF    OLD    BRANDENBUBG  67 

tering  and  gesticulating,  turned  to  the  young 
man. 

''You  have  more  brains  than  Grumkow,  and 
are  as  brave  as  Don't  Care.  I  have  more  need 
of  you  in  my  council  than  in  my  regiment, 
and  may  use  you  in  both.  Come  to  me,  Grum- 
kow," said  the  king,  calling  to  the  minister, 
who  was  walking  ahead.  Grumkow  went  back 
to  his  Majesty. 

"Pay  that  fool,"  said  the  king,  pointing  to 
the  French  recruiting  officer.  "Tell  him  to  go 
to  Spandau,  and  to  say  nothing  of  this  affair 
unless  he  wants  to  hang.  This  young  man," 
indicating  Henry,  "is  free  to  go  when  or  where 
he  will,  or  if  he  desires  to  enlist  in  the  regi- 
ment, see  that  he  has  an  opportunity.  Which 
shall  it  be,  young  man?" 

' '  If  your  Majesty  will  give  me  a  commission, 
I'll  enlist,"  answered  Henry. 

"Can  you  drill  a  company?"  asked  the  king. 

"Try  me,"  responded  Henry. 

"Devils  in  hell,  answer  my  question!" 
stormed  the  king,  glaring  furiously  at  his  new 
recruit.  Henry  paid  no  attention  to  the  king's 
anger,  but  answered  smilingly,  calmly: 

"I  have  answered  your  Majesty." 

"You  have  not!"  shouted  the  king. 

"If  I  tell  you  I  can  drill  a  company,  will  your 


68  A   GENTLE   KNIGHT 

Majesty  be  any  wiser?"  asked  Henry.  "Men 
are  apt  to  lie  in  their  own  interests,  and  the 
King  of  Prussia  would  not  take  my  word  in 
this  instance." 

"Himmell  I  say,  can  you  drill  a  company?" 
demanded  the  king,  stamping  his  foot  and  strik- 
ing his  cane  violently  on  the  pavement. 

"Again  I  say,  try  me,"  answered  Henry. 
"If  I  were  to  tell  you  I  can  drill  a  company, 
and  should  fail,  your  Majesty  would  despise 
me.  There  is  but  one  way  to  answer  your 
question,  and  that  is  by  showing  you  what  I 
can  do." 

After  watching  Henry's  face  for  a  moment, 
the  king  turned  to  Grumkow,  saying,  "Tell 
Seckendorf  to  bring  out  a  company  of  the 
regiment.  Send  for  that  rascal  Fritz,  and 
we'll  let  him  see  this  fellow  try.  Try,  try,  try," 
growled  the  king.  "He  seems  to  know  but 
one  word — 'try'." 

"It's  a  good  word  to  know,  your  Majesty," 
answered  Fritz  Henry,  smiling.  "The  King 
of  Prussia  knows  it  better  than  any  man 
in  the  world,  and  the  man  who  knows  it  will 
soon  or  late  come  to  know  another  word — suc- 
cess." 

The  old  king's  hard  face  seemed  to  soften,  if 
anything  so  hard  as  Frederick  William's  face 


OF   OLD   BRANDENBURG  69 

could  be  said  ever  to  soften,  and  he  turned  to 
Grumkow,  muttering  slowly: 

1  'Never  mind  about  the  company,  Grumkow. 
Tell  Seckendorf  to  make  this  man  a  captain  of 
Grenadiers.  If  there  is  no  company  for  him 
now,  we'll  soon  make  one,  and  we'll  keep  him 
in  the  palace  until  we  do  have  one  for  him. '  ' 

"I  am  surprised,"  interrupted  Henry,  who 
felt  sure  of  his  ground,  and  wanted  to  play  his 
cards  for  all  they  were  worth,  "that  your  Ma- 
jesty should  be  caught  by  a  trick  of  words,  and 
I  hope  you  will  prove  me  before  you  give  me  a 
commission." 

"Ach!  God  has  sent  me  a  stubborn  devil," 
mumbled  the  king,  far  from  bad-humoredly. 
"Nothing  that  we  do  suits  him,  but — but  he  is 
right.  A  man  is  a  fool  to  be  caught  by  a  trick 
of  words.  Send  for  Fritz.  Get  out  the  com- 
pany, Grumkow.  I  wish  that  rascally  son  of 
mine  had  half  this  fellow's  stubbornness.  Stub- 
bornness is  a  blessed  virtue.  Get  out  the  com- 
pany and  send  for  that  rascal  Fritz." 

Frederick  William,  the  most  stubborn  man 
ever  born  of  woman,  stormed  at  other  stubborn 
men,  but  in  his  heart  he  loved  them.  The 
Crown  Prince  Fritz,  his  son  and  heir,  was  a 
dainty  little  gentleman  who  loved  fine  dress, 
music  and  books,  and  for  that  reason  the  old 


70  A   GENTLE    KNIGHT 

king  hated  him.  Frederick  William  loved  re- 
sistance, and  there  was  none  in  Prince  Fritz. 
In  fact,  there  was  little  resistance  anywhere  for 
Prussian  Majesty  save  in  his  wife,  Queen 
Sophia,  and  that  almost  drove  Majesty  wild. 

The  king,  who  was  gouty,  took  Henry's  arm 
as  they  walked  toward  the  parade  ground. 
Majesty  had  never  before  been  known  to  lean 
on  any  man.  Stubbornness  would  walk  alone 
or  fall,  and  the  little  act  of  taking  Henry's  arm 
was  a  sure  harbinger  of  favor  for  our  kidnaped 
prince. 

Under  Frederick  William's  cloak,  Fritz 
Henry  felt  that  he  had  found  a  safe  hiding  place 
from  the  lady  of  Saxony.  When  his  fortunes 
should  be  settled,  he  would  write  to  his  father, 
telling  of  his  adventures,  but  for  the  present  he 
would  hold  communication  with  no  one  in 
Bayreuth. 

Soon  the  king,  Grumkow  and  Fritz  Henry 
reached  the  parade  ground.  Ten  minutes  later 
a  company  of  Grenadiers  came  marching  out 
and  halted  in  front  of  their  master. 

''That  rascal  Fritz  is  late, "  growled  the 
king.  "Late,  late,  as  usual.  There  is  no  hope 
for  a  man  who  is  always  late." 

After  the  king  had  waited  ten  minutes,  Prince 
Fritz  came  up  and  saluted  his  father  respect- 


The  old  man  shook  his  cane  anil  growled  savagely 


OF   OLD   BRANDENBURG  71 

fully.  The  father  gazed  at  the  son  angrily  for 
a  moment,  and  said : 

"Take  off  those  gloves — silk — silk — by  the 
devil,  silk!  French  gewgaws!  Take  off  those 
gloves,  I  say ! ' '  The  old  man  shook  his  cane  in 
close  proximity  to  his  son's  head,  and  growled 
savagely. 

Fritz  took  off  the  gloves. 

"Now  throw  them  to  the  ground!"  cried  the 
king.  Fritz  tossed  the  gloves  to  the  ground. 

"Not  there,  not  there,  you  popinjay — here,  in 
the  mud!  Take  them  up  and  throw  them  in 
the  mud ! ' ' 

Prince  Fritz  obeyed  and  stubborn  Majesty 
walked  through  the  mud,  trampling  the  silk 
gloves  with  his  heavy,  hob-nailed  boots,  and 
glaring  at  the  culprit. 

"I  want  him  to  meet  this  man,"  said  the 
king,  addressing  Grumkow. 

Thus  did  Prince  Henry  of  Bayreuth  meet  the 
future  Frederick  the  Great.  * 

"May  I  know  your  name?"  asked  the  Crown 
Prince,  stepping  toward  Henry  and  offering  his 
hand. 

"My  name  is  Frederick  Henry  Churchill, 
your  Highness,"  answered  our  friend,  bowing 
to  the  heir  to  the  Prussian  throne. 

"You  are  to  watch  this  man  drill  a  company 


72  A    GENTLE    KNIGHT 

of  your  regiment,"  said  the  king,  turning  to 
Prince  Fritz.  "I  want  you  to  cast  off  your 
worthless  friends,  and  take  this  young  man 
for  your  associate.  He  may  put  a  little  stub- 
bornness into  you." 

"Yes,  your  Majesty,"  answered  Prince  Fritz, 
humbly;  but  he  already  hated  Henry  because 
the  king  liked  him. 

An  entire  failure  on  the  part  of  father  and 
son  to  understand  each  other  had  engendered  a 
bitter  hatred  that  lasted  as  long  as  Frederick 
William  lived.  Perhaps,  on  the  Crown  Prince's 
part,  it  lasted  long  after  his  father's  death. 

At  the  king's  command,  Fritz  Henry  took  the 
company  through  the  maneuvers  of  the  parade 
ground.  When  the  drill  was  finished,  the  old 
king  was  delighted,  for  the  new  recruit  had 
taught  the  Grenadiers  several  new  movements. 

Turning  to  Grumkow,  who  seemed  to  be  not 
only  prime  minister,  but  also  major  domo  of 
the  palace,  the  king  said : 

"Cause  tHis  man's  commission  to  be  made 
out  at  once,  and  have  him  lodged  in  the  palace. 
We  need  a  page  near  us  with  brains  and  hon- 
esty— one  who  can  and  will  serve  us  faithfully. 
If  the  fellow  fails  us  we  will  hang  him.  Tell 
that  rascally  son  of  mine  to  go  to  his  apart- 


OF   OLD   BRANDENBURG  73 

ments  and  to  take  the  new  captain  with  him  for 
the  present." 

The  king  rarely  spoke  directly  to  Fritz,  and 
not  the  least  irritating  of  his  father's  many 
methods  of  wounding  him  was  this  roundabout 
manner  of  speaking  to  him  through  another. 

When  Henry  and  the  prince  started  toward 
the  palace,  Henry  easily  discovered  that  he  was 
not  in  favor.  That  unpleasant  fact,  he  be- 
lieved, was  owing  to  the  king's  gracious  intro- 
duction. He  liked  Prince  Fritz  and  determined 
not  to  be  repulsed  by  the  young  fellow  until  his 
Royal  Highness  had  an  opportunity  to  know 
him  and  to  judge  him  for  himself.  Henry 
spoke  at  times  as  they  walked  along,  but  the 
surly  Crown  Prince  answered  only  in  mon- 
osyllables. 

After  entering  the  palace,  they  passed 
through  several  rooms,  Henry  being  allowed  to 
follow  unheeded  by  his  conductor.  Presently 
they  entered  a  room  where  ladies  and  gentle- 
men were  assembled  by  twos  and  threes,  talking 
and  laughing.  Henry  recognized  none  of  those 
present  save  the  Princess  Wilhelmina  and  the 
Margrave  of  Schwedt.  Prince  Fritz  uncere- 
moniously left  his  companion,  went  to  the 
Princess  Wilhelmina,  and  took  her  hand  affec- 
tionately. The  princess  beamed  on  her  brother 


74  A   GENTLE    KNIGHT 

and  any  one  seeing  them  together  could  easily 
discover  the  great  love  between  them.  The 
Margrave  nodded  to  Fritz  Henry,  and  sent  him 
a  broad,  massive  smile.  The  princess  glanced 
quickly,  but  with  evident  kindness,  toward  the 
door  and  turned  her  face  away.  After  she  had 
talked  with  her  brother  for  a  moment,  she 
looked  scornfully  toward  the  door  and  turned 
her  back  on  her  brother's  recent  companion. 

Presently  the  Margrave  went  to  Henry  and 
began  singing  Wilhelmina's  praise.  There 
was  not  her  like  in  all  the  world,  was  the  Mar- 
grave's theme,  and  he  was  right  if  all  the  world 
that  knew  her  is  to  be  believed.  There  seems 
to  be  but  one  verdict  concerning  her.  Except- 
ing her  father,  every  one  deemed  her  of  faultless 
beauty  in  all  respects.  The  king  seemed  to 
regard  her  and  Fritz  with  an  unnatural  hatred. 

"But  I'm  sorry  for  you,"  continued  the  talk- 
ative Margrave. 

"Why?"  asked  Henry. 

' l  You  have  fallen  sadly  out  of  favor  with  her 
Highness,"  answered  Adolph. 

"How  can  that  be,"  asked  Henry,  "since  I 
have  not  yet  had  the  pleasure  of  a  presentation  ? 
I  cannot  understand  how  I  can  be  either  in  or 
out  of  favor  with  her  Highness." 

"You  certainly  were  in  favor  with  her,"  said 


OF   OLD   BRANDENBURG  75 

the  Margrave.  "Greatly  in  favor.  She  spoke 
about  you  when  you  entered  the  room  with 
the  Crown  Prince  a  moment  since  and  said: 
'Ah,  Schwedt,  there  is  your  handsome  friend, 
the  new  Grenadier.'  " 

"That,  indeed,  was  kind  in  her  Highness," 
responded  Henry. 

"But  the  Crown  Prince  upset  all  her  kindness 
by  telling  her  that  you  had  found  favor  with 
the  king,  and  that  his  Majesty  had  forced  you 
on  him  as  a  companion.  The  king's  favor 
is  a  sure  harbinger  of  disfavor  with  the 
Princess  Mina  and  the  Crown  Prince  Fritz." 

"I  can  live  under  their  frowns,"  said  Fritz 
Henry,  "and  her  Highness  may  grant  me  her 
favor  when  I  ask  it." 

Henry  knew  that  his  words  would  reach  the 
ears  of  the  princess,  nor  did  he  care  how  soon. 

Presently  the  Margrave  rejoined  the  prin- 
cess, but  hastened  back  to  his  friend  at  the  door 
to  tell  him  that  the  Crown  Prince  was  about  to 
go  to  his  apartments,  and  that  if  Captain  Henry 
—as  the  Margrave  called  his  new  friend- 
wished,  in  obedience  to  the  king's  command,  to 
accompany  his  Royal  Highness,  he  should  fol- 
low at  his  will. 

When  the  prince  started  toward  the  door  on 
the  opposite  side  of  the  room,  Fritz  Henry 


76  A   GENTLE    KNIGHT 

reluctantly  followed,  more  amused  than  cha- 
grined at  the  humiliating  position  in  which 
he,  a  royal  prince,  found  himself.  The  humor 
of  the  situation  and  the  chance  for  adventure 
had  a  strong  appeal  for  him,  and  neither  the 
slight  put  upon  him  by  the  Crown  Prince  nor 
the  scorn  of  the  princess  could  wound  him  until 
he  felt  sure  that  their  dislike  had  fallen  on  him 
for  personal  reasons.  As  yet,  this  was  not 
true;  he  believed  it  was  their  father's  favor  to 
him  that  caused  their  aversion. 


CHAPTEE  VI 

LITTLE  PRINCE  FEITZ 

WHEN  the  Crown  Prince  and  Henry  entered 
the  prince's  apartments,  the  little  fellow 
changed  his  rough  military  coat  for  a  silk 
dressing  gown,  took  a  book  from  a  shelf,  seated 
himself  in  a  window  and  began  to  read.  Henry 
went  to  another  window  overlooking  the  palace 
gardens,  and  for  a  time  was  halting  between 
pity  for  the  Crown  Prince  and  an  inclination 
to  be  angry. 

But  little  Fritz  seemed  to  be  such  a  forlorn 
young  prince,  stranded  on  the  stormy  reef  of 
liis  father's  unnatural  hatred,  that  Henry's 
anger  soon  gave  way  to  sympathy.  Presently 
two  pages  of  the  court  entered  the  room  and 
began  a  conversation  with  the  Crown  Prince. 
They  talked  at  first  in  undertones,  but  once  in 
a  while  Fritz  Henry  caught  the  king's  name 
linked  with  the  words  "damned  old  Stumpy", 
"old  brute",  "old  tyrant". 

The  Crown  Prince  addressed  one  of  the  pages 
as  Keith  and  the  other  as  Katt,  though  which 
was  Katt  and  which  was  Keith,  Henry  did  not 
know,  as  the  Crown  Prince  did  not  present 

77 


78  A    GENTLE    KNIGHT 

them.  Soon  the  conversation  became  louder 
and  grew  excited  in  tone.  Oaths — French, 
German  and  English — fell  rapidly  from  the 
lips  of  the  three  friends,  and  were  frequently 
associated  with  the  name  "Old  Stumpy".  After 
a  few  minutes  the  Crown  Prince  and  the  pages 
seemed  to  care  nothing  for  Henry's  presence, 
and  spoke  aloud,  regardless  of  what  he  might 
hear. 

"Stumpy  says  they  must  go,"  said  one  of 
the  young  men.  "The  harpsichord,  violin  and 
flute  all  must  go,  and  a  bonfire  shall  be  made  of 
them  on  the  parade  ground.  Kate  Sonnsfeld 
told  me  that  Stumpy  swears  he  will  beat  you 
with  his  stick  in  public,  and  will  imprison  you 
for  a  month  in  the  dungeons  of  Spandau  Castle, 
on  bread  and  water,  if  he  catches  you  playing 
on  either  the  harpsichord,  flute  or  violin. ' ' 

"I'll  play  when  I  choose,"  said  the  Crown 
Prince,  showing  great  spirit  in  the  absence  of 
his  father. 

"Ah,  but  you  must  not,"  pleaded  one  of  the 
pages.  "Your  father  seems  to  be  insane  on 
the  subject  of  your  music.  He  does  not  object 
to  music  in  others,  so  it  must  be  the  pleasure  it 
gives  you  that  hurts  him." 

I  will  play.    I'll  play  now,"  said  the 


OF   OLD   BRANDENBURG  79 

prince,  who,  in  a  small  way,  had  his  father's 
stubbornness  without  his  force. 

"But  your  father  may  come,"  insisted  Katt. 
"You  know  he  is  always  slipping  around  and 
surprising  you  at  unexpected  moments.  Judg- 
ing from  the  violence  of  his  recent  outburst,  I 
should  not  be  surprised  to  see  him  try  to  kill 
you  with  his  own  hand,  if  he  came  suddenly  into 
the  room  and  found  you  playing.  I  believe  the 
king's  hatred  of  you  and  Mina  has  driven  him 
mad. ' ' 

"I'll  play  anyway,"  said  the  Crown  Prince. 
"I  wish  he  would  come  in  and  kill  me." 

The  prince  seated  himself  at  the  harpsichord 
and  began  playing  a  selection  from  Handel's 
"Rinaldo".  He  had  been  playing  perhaps  five 
minutes,  when  a  heavy  footfall  and  the  thump, 
thump,  thump  of  a  rattan  cane  were  heard  just 
outside  the  door  of  the  room.  The  sounds  of 
the  footfall  and  the  cane  were  too  familiar  and 
too  terrifying  to  every  member  of  the  court  of 
Berlin  not  to  be  known  when  heard,  so  they 
brought  terror  to  the  Crown  Prince  and  his 
friends.  One  of  the  young  men  quickly  drew 
the  prince  away  from  the  harpsichord. 

"The  king!  The  king!"  he  cried.  "For 
God's  sake,  Fritz — " 

But  it  was  too  late.     The  footfall,  the  cane 


80  A   GENTLE   KNIGHT 

and  the  ominous,  angry  growl  were  just  outside 
the  door.  Henry  turned  toward  the  Crown 
Prince  and  saw  the  pale  young  face  distorted 
by  fear.  He  had  just  moved  away  from  the 
harpsichord,  but  every  one  in  the  room  knew 
he  had  risen  too  late,  for  the  offensive  notes 
certainly  had  fallen  on  the  ears  of  irate  Prus- 
sian Majesty,  and  the  royal  fury  could  be  heard 
with  appalling  distinctness.  The  knob  of  the 
door  had  just  begun  to  turn.  The  prince  was 
standing  by  the  bench  before  the  harpsichord, 
and  a  frightful  scene  was  imminent.  Henry 
sprang  to  the  harpsichord,  took  the  seat 
Fritz  had  vacated,  and  caught  up  the  theme  of 
Handel's  beautiful  melody  just  where  the 
Crown  Prince  had  left  off  twenty  seconds  be- 
fore. At  the  same  instant  the  door  opened  and 
in  walked  the  furious  king. 

Henry  continued  playing,  seemingly  so  inter- 
ested in  the  music  that  he  did  not  know  of  his 
Majesty's  presence.  When  the  king  saw  that 
it  was  the  new  captain  at  the  harpsichord,  his 
lifted  cane  came  softly  to  the  floor,  and  he  stood 
listening  to  the  rare,  sweet  strains. 

"Pardon  me,"  said  the  prince,  laying  his 
hand  on  Henry's  shoulder.  "Music  is  offen- 
sive to  his  Majesty.  I  fear  you  do  not  know 
he  is  in  the  room." 


OF    OLD    BRANDENBURG  81 

Henry  sprang  to  his  feet,  gave  a  stiff,  military 
salute,  and  said: 

"I  crave  your  Majesty's  pardon.  I  did  not 
know  you  had  entered  the  room,  nor  did  I  know 
that  you  objected  to  music.  I  should  not  have 
dared  to  accuse  your  Majesty  of  so  grave  a 
sin. ' ' 

' '  I  don 't  object  to  it.  Go  on !  Go  on ! "  cried 
the  king,  much  to  every  one's  astonishment. 
"I'm  not  so  great  an  idiot  as  to  hate  music  if  it 
is  of  the  right  kind  and  doesn't  rob  a  young 
man  of  his  senses.  I  like  your  music.  If  my 
worthless  son  would  play  that  sort  of  music  as 
you  play  it,  I  should  not  object,  but  his  miser- 
able French  dances  drive  me  mad.  They  are 
not  for  men;  they  are  for  French  courtesans." 

Fritz  Henry  had  conquered  this  stubborn 
king,  accomplishing  the  extraordinary  feat 
within  half  a  day  by  using  the  king's  own 
methods,  softened  and  sweetened  to  suit  the 
occasion.  Henry  was  careful  always  to  make 
the  king  feel  that  nothing  Prussian  Majesty 
did  was  exactly  right,  but  he  administered 
his  corrective  doses  in  such  sugar-coated  di- 
minutive pills  that  the  king  felt  the  curative 
effect  only  and  did  not  realize  that  he  was 
being  drugged. 

"Go  on!  Play,  play!  Why  do  you  stop?" 
G 


82  A   GENTLE   KNIGHT 

said  the  king,  evidently  indignant  that  any  one 
should  accuse  him  of  disliking  good  music, 
though  he  had  frequently  declared  his  hatred 
of  it  in  stormy  outbursts. 

Henry  played,  and  hard,  half-mad  Prussian 
Majesty  listened,  standing  defiantly  in  the  mid- 
dle of  the  room  and  refusing  to  sit  in  the 
presence  of  his  despised  son.  After  playing 
for  a  few  minutes,  Henry  rose,  and  the  king 
walked  deliberately  away,  leaving  the  aston- 
ished group  staring  at  each  other  in  open-eyed 
wonder. 

When  the  king  left,  Henry  went  back  to  the 
window  where  he  had  been  standing.  The 
Crown  Prince  cast  several  glances  in  his  direc- 
tion, and  then  went  over  to  him. 

"I  beg  your  pardon,"  said  he,  speaking  Eng- 
lish, ''and  I  want  you  to  do  me  the  great  honor 
of  giving  me  your  hand. ' ' 

"I'll  gladly  give  you  my  hand,"  answered 
Henry,  "but  I  have  nothing  to  pardon  in  your 
Highness." 

"You  have,  indeed,"  insisted  the  Crown 
Prince.  "I  have  treated  you  discourteously 
without  the  slightest  cause,  but  my  apology 
shall  not  be  in  words.  From  this  hour  my 
effort  shall  be  to  make  amends,  if  you  can  find  it 
in  your  heart  to  overlook  my  rudeness.  These 


OF   OLD   BBANDENBURG  83 

are  my  friends.  This  is  Lieutenant  Katt,  and 
this,  Keith.  Each,  you  see,  is  over  six  feet  tall, 
so  you  may  know  they  are  in  my  regiment,  the 
Grenadiers. ' ' 

Henry  acknowledged  the  introduction,  and 
the  Crown  Prince  continued: 

1 '  There  is  one  other  person  whom  I  want  you 
to  know — my  sister.  I  have  but  three  friends 
in  the  world — Katt,  Keith  and  Mina.  Before 
I  present  you  to  my  sister,  I  want  to  tell  her 
of  the  mistake  I  made  in  speaking  unkindly  of 
you.  I  foolishly  allowed  my  father's  favor  to 
turn  me  against  you.  I'll  go  to  my  sister  at 
once.  She  will  thank  you  quite  as  warmly  as  I 
do  for  the  timely  help  you  gave  me  to-day.  I 
assure  you  it  will  never  be  forgotten  by  either 
of  us." 

The  Crown  Prince  threw  his  dressing  gown 
to  the  floor,  donned  his  military  coat,  and  ran 
impetuously  to  tell  his  sister  of  the  incident  at 
the  harpsichord. 

When  the  prince  had  left  the  room,  Katt 
turned  to  Fritz  Henry  and  asked:  "You  are 
newly  arrived  at  court?" 

Katt  was  a  fine,  manly  young  fellow,  whose 
face  and  manner  were  frank  and  engaging. 

"I  was  never  in  Berlin  until  last  night," 
answered  Fritz  Henry. 


84  A   GENTLE    KNIGHT 

"You  doubtless  have  seen  enough  to  convince 
you  that  a  sad  state  of  affairs  exists  in  the 
palace,"  said  Katt.  "The  king  cruelly  hates 
Prince  Frederick  and  the  Princess  Wilhelmina, 
though  there  is  no  cause  for  it  save  the  mach- 
inations of  Grumkow.  Every  one  at  court  ex- 
cept his  Majesty  knows  that  Grumkow  and 
Seckendorf  are  here  in  the  interest  of  Austria, 
and  desire  the  prince's  death,  but  the  king  is  so 
stubborn  and  violent  that  no  one  would  dare  to 
tell  him  the  truth.  He  would  not  believe  it 
from  the  lips  of  an  angel  from  heaven. 

"I  predict  that  the  Crown  Prince  will  meet 
his  death  on  the  scaffold  unless  it  is  prevented 
by  an  uprising  of  the  Prussian  people.  If 
Grumkow  fails  in  his  purpose  to  bring  the 
Crown  Prince  to  the  block,  I  believe  the  old 
devil  will  have  him  assassinated.  I  tell  you, 
the  life  of  our  prince  is  in  hourly  peril.  In 
case  of  his  death,  the  Princess  Mina  will  be 
forced  to  marry  the  Margrave  of  Schwedt,  and 
the  old  king's  days  will  be  numbered,  for  he, 
too,  will  fall  a  victim  to  Grumkow.  When  the 
old  king  dies,  Schwedt  will  become  king  in 
name,  but  Brandenburg  and  Prussia  will,  in 
fact,  fall  into  the  lap  of  Austria." 

"I  can't  help  believing  that  you  are  wrong," 
said  Keith.  "A  terrible  state  of  affairs  exists, 


85 

but  I  don't  believe  that  all  you  say  is  true. 
While  poor  Schwedt  is  madly  in  love  with  the 
princess,  and  desires  above  all  things  to  marry 
her,  he  is  an  honest  fellow  at  heart,  and  more 
of  a  man  than  you  would  believe.  If  you  knew 
him  as  well  as  I  do,  you  would  agree  with  me 
that  he  has  the  soul  of  a  gentleman,  and  the 
tender,  kindly  heart  of  a  child.  Not  all  the 
crowns  of  Europe  would  induce  the  Margrave 
of  Schwedt  to  be  a  party  to  the  frightful  plot 
your  imagination  has  conjured  up.'* 

'  *  Of  course  not ! ' '  cried  Katt.  * '  Do  you  sup- 
pose Grumkow  would  entrust  Schwedt  with 
knowledge  of  his  plans!  He  is  but  his  tool, 
and  as  he  is  madly  in  love  with  the  princess, 
you  will  know  one  of  these  fine  days  that  I  have 
just  uttered  a  true  prophecy.  Mina  will  fall 
into  his  arms,  and  I  pray  to  God  she  may  die 
before  the  hour  comes." 

"You  may  be  right,"  answered  Keith,  "but 
bad  as  Grumkow  is,  I  can  hardly  believe  a  heart 
really  beats  that  is  bad  enough  to  hatch  so  hell- 
ish a  plot.  Surely  there  is  no  heart  so  evil  as 
to  work  upon  the  half-mad  brain  of  our  king  for 
the  purpose  of  inducing  him  to  kill  his  own 
son." 

"I  tell  you,  Keith,"  answered  Katt,  who  was 
growing  excited;  "I  tell  you,  Grumkow  would 


86  A   GENTLE    KNIGHT 

murder  his  own  mother,  or  strangle  his  own 
child  to  put  money  in  his  purse  or  to  gain 
power.  He  has  already  caused  the  death  of 
scores  of  innocent  men  who  have  stood  in  his 
way,  and  his  career  of  murder  has  hardly 
begun. ' ' 

Katt  trembled  with  excitement.  His  face 
was  flushed  and  his  eyes  glared  wildly  as  if 
with  a  touch  of  madness.  He  stood  gazing 
vacantly  at  the  ceiling,  his  hands  clinched  and 
his  arms  outstretched. 

"I  do  not  want  to  be  a  prophet  of  evil,"  he 
continued,  "but  I  tell  you  the  heart  of  the 
future  seems  bare  to  me  at  this  moment.  You 
and  I,  Keith — Fritz's  best  friends— will  be 
Grumkow's  first  victims.  I  shall  die  first. 
I  can  see  my  head  on  the  block!  Your  fate 
is  not  clear,  but  there  is  trouble  ahead  for 
you.  Fritz  will  be  shot  by  a  company  of  his 
own  regiment,  and  Mina  will  be  saved  for 
Schwedt.  The  queen  will  follow  Fritz  and  me. 
Then  poor  old  Stumpy  will  go  the  way  of  all 
flesh,  and  Grumkow  will  be  the  real  king  of 
Prussia." 

Henry  stood  aghast  at  this  frightful  proph- 
ecy, and  was  half  inclined  to  believe  that  Katt 
was  drunk.  Keith  stared  in  wonder  for  a  mo- 
ment, and  said: 


OF   OLD    BRANDENBURG  87 

"Katt,  you  freeze  my  blood!"  Then  cover- 
ing his  face  with  his  hands,  he  sank  into  a  chair. 

Katt  stood  as  if  in  a  trance.  Henry  placed 
his  hand  on  his  shoulder  and  spoke  to  him 
gently. 

"  Your  fear  for  those  you  love  has  so  wrought 
upon  you  that  you  magnify  the  danger.  When 
you  become  calm,  your  forebodings  will  pass 
away. ' ' 

11  Per  haps  you  are  right,"  said  Katt,  relaxing 
and  seating  himself  on  the  window  sill.  "I 
must  be  insane,  but  upon  my  word,  I  thought  I 
saw  my  own  head  drop  from  my  body,  and 
I  seemed  to  see  the  Crown  Prince  blindfolded 
to  be  shot.  But  I  suppose,  as  you  say,  it 
was  my  imagination,  overheated  by  recent 
events  and  frenzied  by  fear.  I  have  been 
drinking  too  much.  I  am  crazed  by  the  king's 
cruelty  to  his  daughter,  his  son  and  their 
friends.  I  tell  you,  it  is  as  much  as  a  man's 
life  is  worth  to  be  known  as  the  Crown  Prince's 
friend.  If  it  were  not  for  Fritz  and  Mina, 
sweet,  tender,  beautiful  Mina,  I  would  not 
remain  at  court  one  hour." 

Katt  rose  to  his  feet,  looked  vacantly  out  the 
window  for  a  moment,  and  said  as  if  speaking 
to  himself: 

"Ah,  yes,    Mina,    Mina!   Gott   im   Himmel! 


88 

What  will  become  of  her?  Dearly  as  I  love 
her,  I  wish  she  could  die."  Henry  raised  his 
hand  in  protest,  but  Katt  did  not  allow  him  to 
speak.  "Yes,  yes!"  he  cried,  excitedly.  "I 
love  the  princess  with  every  drop  of  my  blood. 
Each  spot  of  earth  her  foot  touches  is  hallowed 
and  sacred  to  me.  I  have  no  thought  of  a  like 
return  from  her  heart,  though  I  know  she  loves 
me  almost  as  dearly  as  if  I  were  her  brother. 
But  I  tell  you,  friends,  she  had  better  die  than 
live." 

"Is  she  not  betrothed  to  the  Prince  of 
Wales?"  asked  Fritz  Henry. 

"I  suppose  a  betrothal  does  exist,"  replied 
Katt;  "but  Grumkow  will  never  allow  it  to  go 
further.  In  my  opinion,  it  will  soon  be  repu- 
diated, and  then  the  Margrave  of  Schwedt,  or 
Grumkow 's  other  tool,  the  Duke  of  Weissenfels, 
will  receive  this  angel.  The  thought  maddens 
me.  Mina  could  not  endure  life  for  one  month 
as  the  wife  of  either  of  these  men." 

"Weissenfels?"  asked  Henry,  in  surprise. 
"I  had  not  heard  of  him  as  a  suitor  for  her 
hand.  He  is  old  enough  to  be  her  grandfather, 
poor  enough  to  beg  crumbs  from  her  hand,  and 
vile  enough  to  contaminate  the  atmosphere  for 
miles  around  him." 

"He's  the  blackest  villain  unhung,"  muttered 


OF   OLD   BRANDENBUKG  89i 

Katt ;  * '  the  blackest  save  Grumkow.  I  can  put 
no  man  ahead  of  him  for  villainy." 

Katt  had  hardly  finished  speaking  when 
Fritz  returned.  Grasping  Henry  by  the  arm, 
he  said,  joyfully: 

"Come  with  me.  I  want  my  sister  to  know 
you. ' ' 

"Have  you  the  king's  permission  to  present 
me  to  your  sister  and  the  queen?"  asked  Henry. 

"I  have  not  taken  the  trouble  to  ask  it," 
answered  Prince  Fritz.  "Were  I  to  speak  un- 
bidden to  my  father  on  that  or  any  other  sub- 
ject, he  would  strike  me  with  his  cane.  But  I 
shall  present  you  to  my  mother  also  if  she  is 
with  my  sister." 

"I  am  a  stranger,"  suggested  Henry,  "and 
your  Highness  does  not  know  that  I  am  worthy 
of  the  honor." 

Henry  felt  that  he  was  right  in  cautioning 
the  prince,  but  back  of  his  words  was  a  reluc- 
tance to  be  presented  to  the  queen  and  the 
princess  save  by  order  of  the  king.  The  new 
captain  of  Grenadiers  did  not  wish  to  be  em- 
broiled in  the  bitter  war  that  was  raging  be- 
tween the  prince,  the  princess  and  the  queen  on 
one  side  and  the  king  and  Grumkow  on  the 
other.  To  steer  a  clear  course  between  these 
factions  would  require  all  the  tact  and  caution 


90  A   GENTLE    KNIGHT 

at  his  command.  A  man  took  his  life  in  his 
hands  when  he  entered  the  court  of  Berlin  at 
that  time. 

''Here  at  this  court,  we  are  not  so  void  of 
beams  in  our  own  eyes  that  we  search  too  care- 
fully for  the  mote  in  others,"  answered  the 
prince  with  a  sneering  smile.  "Knowing  our 
own  faults,  we  are  not  in  any  way  particular 
whom  our  women  meet.  Most  of  the  men  about 
the  court  are  ruffians,  swindlers  and  adventur- 
ers. Many  of  them  are  spies,  and  the  king  is 
the  dupe  of  all.  What  my  mother,  my  sister 
and  I  need  is  friends,  and  a  new  recruit  to  our 
cause  will  be  as  welcome  to  the  queen  and  to  my 
sister  as  he  is  to  me,  even  though  all  we  know 
of  him  is  that  his  name  is  Captain  Churchill, 
and  that  he  is  nimble  of  wit  and  quick  to  act. 
Your  readiness  in  taking  my  place  at  the  harp- 
sichord is  all  the  introduction  you  need.  My 
sister  will  be  delighted  to  hear  you  play.  We 
have  no  musician  at  court  that  can  compare 
with  you.  Your  performance  on  the  harpsi- 
chord to-day  was  the  most  delightful  music  I 
ever  heard,  and  the  most  profitable  to  me." 

Fritz's  remark  concerning  the  new  recruit  to 
his  cause  emphasized  Henry's  conviction  that 
it  would  be  safer  not  to  meet  the  queen  and  the 
princess  until  the  king  saw  fit  to  present  him. 


OF   OLD   BRANDENBURG  91 

The  king's  introduction  might  rot  be  the  short- 
est road  to  their  favor,  but  it,  was  surely  the 
safest,  and  Henry  trusted  in  his  ability  to  win 
their  good  opinion  later  on  by  convincing  them 
that  he  was  really  their  friend. 

He  was  seeking  an  excuse  to  decline  the 
prince's  offer  when  an  interruption  saved  him 
the  trouble.  There  was  a  knock  at  the  door; 
an  officer  entered  the  room,  saluted  his  colonel, 
Prince  Fritz,  and  said: 

"His  Majesty  commands  Captain  Churchill's 
attendance  at  the  barracks,  and  I  am  to  have 
the  honor  of  conducting  him." 

The  Crown  Prince  turned  pale  as  he  asked: 
"Do  you  know  what  the  king  wants  with  Cap- 
tain Churchill?" 

"I  do  not  know,  your  Highness,"  answered 
the  officer. 

"I  hope  the  harpsichord  has  not  brought  you 
into  trouble,"  said  Katt,  whose  experience  with 
the  king  had  caused  him  to  fear  his  Majesty  in 
every  aspect. 

Henry  immediately  departed  with  the  officer, 
leaving  his  three  friends  in  a  state  of  wonder- 
ing alarm.  Their  fears,  however,  were  ground- 
less. The  king  had  sent  for  his  new  recruit  to 
give  him  a  commission  and  to  clothe  him  in  the 
regimental  uniform.  His  Majesty  kept  these 


92  A    GENTLE    KNIGHT 

uncouth  Grenadier  uniforms  on  hand,  always 
ready.  If  a  Grenadier  died,  the  king  tucked 
the  uniform  carefully  away  to  await  the  man 
who  was  to  fill  the  vacant  place.  If  the  coat 
did  not  fit,  it  was  a  pity,  for  the  sake  of  both  the 
coat  and  the  man,  but  if  by  stretching  a  gar- 
ment a  little  here,  or  by  taking  it  in  a  little  or 
a  great  deal  there,  it  could  be  made  to  do  its 
duty  even  poorly,  the  new  man  wore  it  and  had 
no  alternative.  Fortunately,  a  new  and  fairly 
well  fitting  uniform  fell  to  Fritz  Henry's  lot. 

The  king's  delight  in  his  Grenadier  Regiment 
was  so  keen  that  he  personally  superintended 
the  fitting  of  each  uniform. 

When  Henry  arrived  at  the  barracks,  the 
king  was  present  to  deliver  the  commission  in 
person,  to  pass  upon  the  fit  of  the  uniform,  and 
to  gloat  over  a  new  six-footer  added  to  his 
ranks.  A  six-footer  who  was  capable  of  being 
an  officer  was  of  extraordinary  value  in  Fred- 
erick William's  estimation. 

After  examining  the  uniform  which  the  tailor 
had  adjusted,  the  king  said : 

"Ah,  it  fits  you  beautifully,  and  I  hope  you 
will  wear  it  always.  That  rascal  Fritz  dis- 
cards his  uniform  on  all  possible  occasions.  He 
wants  to  deck  himself  out  with  laces,  frills,  gold 
buttons  and  French  finery.  I  wear  the  uniform 


OF    OLD   BRANDENBURG  93 

of  my  Grenadiers,  and  what  is  good  enough  for 
me  should  be  good  enough  for  my  son  and  for 
my  soldiers." 

"I  shall  be  very  glad  to  wear  the  uniform, 
your  Majesty,"  returned  Henry. 

The  new  captain  was  told  that  he  should  not 
take  charge  of  a  company  until  a  few  more 
recruits  were  added  to  the  regiment,  although 
he  might  frequently  be  called  on  to  drill  the 
troops.  King  August  of  Saxony  had  promised 
to  deliver  to  Prussian  Majesty  ten  men  more 
than  six  feet  high.  The  Czar  of  Russia  had 
promised  to  send  a  present  of  ten  more.  The 
Margrave  of  Schwedt  had  agreed  to  deliver  five, 
so  King  Frederick  "William  told  Fritz  Henry 
that  a  new  company  would  soon  be  ready  for 
him. 

"Perhaps  you  know  of  a  good,  tall  fellow 
who  would  like  to  join  the  regiment?"  asked 
the  king,  with  a  miserly  gleam  in  his  eyes. 

"I  know  of  no  tall  man  that  you  could  get," 
answered  Henry. 

"If  you  know  of  any  tall  man,  tell  us  where 
he  is  to  be  found,  and  we  will  try  to  get  him," 
said  the  king,  examining  Henry's  uniform,  and 
smoothing  the  wrinkles  with  a  loving  hand. 

' '  There  is  the  Hereditary  Prince  of  Bayreuth, 


94 

who  is  over  six  feet  tall.  Your  Majesty  might 
kidnap — " 

"Ach!    Don't  be  a  fool!"  growled  the  king. 

The  officers  standing  near  by  looked  at  each 
other  in  wonder,  for  stubborn,  growling  Prus- 
sian Majesty  had  been  twitted  for  the  first  time 
in  all  his  life.  The  king  took  no  offense  at  Fritz 
Henry's  words,  but  continued  to  give  instruc- 
tions concerning  slight  changes  to  be  made  in 
the  uniform. 

"If  you  prove  yourself  a  worthy  officer,"  said 
the  king,  still  smoothing  wrinkles  in  the  back 
of  Henry's  coat,  "we  may  some  day  invite  you 
to  our  Tobacco  Parliament.  You  have  a  quick 
wit,  a  fearless  tongue,  and  more  wisdom  than  I 
have  ever  found  in  the  head  of  a  stupid  English- 
man— that  is,  of  course,  you're  not  English." 

The  Tobacco  Parliament  was  a  nightly  gath- 
ering of  the  king's  chosen  friends,  where  to- 
bacco and  beer  were  consumed  in  great  quanti- 
ties, and  where  all  the  gossip  of  the  court  and 
the  city  was  discussed.  No  subject  was  too 
small  nor  too  great  for  serious  discussion  and 
open  consideration  in  "The  Tabagie,"  as  the 
Tobacco  Parliament  was  called.  No  qualifica- 
tion of  birth,  rank,  education  or  social  standing 
was  necessary  to  gain  admission  to  this  inner 
circle  of  the  court  life  of  Berlin  and  Potsdam. 


OF    OLD    BKANDENBUEG  95 

The  most  errant  vagabond,  the  veriest  adven- 
turer, the  greatest  charlatan  might,  and  often 
did,  obtain  a  seat  in  The  Tabagie.  In  truth, 
one  need  not  be  a  gentleman,  need  have  no  shred 
of  reputation,  no  touch  of  virtue  to  get  a  foot- 
hold in  the  palace  of  this  half-mad  old  Fred- 
erick William.  All  that  was  needed  was  to 
coddle  the  king's  whims,  abuse  the  Crown 
Prince,  and  damn  the  king  of  England. 

Henry  was  a  stranger,  but  his  instantaneous 
rise  to  favor  was  not  a  surprise  to  any  one  but 
himself.  He  might  as  easily  fall,  and  of  that 
ominous  fact  he  was  fully  aware.  This  history 
will  tell  you  whether  he  rose  or  fell. 


CHAPTER  VII 

THE  TORRENT  OE  THE  TIDE  ? 

ONE  evening  not  long  after  Henry  received 
his  uniform,  the  king  invited  him  to  the  queen's 
drawing  room  and  presented  him  to  her  Majesty 
and  to  the  young  Princess  Charlotte,  nicknamed 
by  the  royal  family  "Mam'selle  Don't  Care". 
She  was  the  one  person  who  dared  express  her 
mind  to  the  king,  and  he  loved  her  better  than 
he  loved  all  the  rest  of  his  family.  Recently 
another  had  arisen  who  did  not  fear  his 
Majesty,  and  the  king  respected  him  accord- 
ingly. 

Don't  Care  was  a  little  beauty  of  seventeen. 
Fritz  Henry  was  a  big,  handsome  fellow  of 
twenty-six,  and  immediately  the  eyes  of  Don't 
Care  disclosed  the  fact  that  she  did  care. 
Though  a  modest  man,  Henry  had  seen  enough 
of  the  feminine  world  to  know  when  a  woman 
was  making  eyes  at  him,  and  Don't  Care's 
glances  told  him  their  story  very  quickly. 

The  eyes  were  very  attractive ;  the  fair,  rosy 
skin  was  very  pleasing ;  the  red,  moist  lips,  with 
their  cluster  of  dimples  and  their  array  of 
gleaming  little  teeth  were  very  enticing.  But 

96 


OF   OLD   BRANDENBURG  97 

standing  at  the  other  side  of  the  room  was  a 
fair,  beautiful  girl,  whose  calm,  pale  face  wore 
an  expression  of  sadness,  and  whose  wonderful 
gray  eyes  told  of  depths  in  which  lay  a  wealth 
of  love,  tenderness  and  truth  that  would  enrich 
a  man  beyond  the  dream  of  avarice.  To  the  girl 
with  the  marvelous  gray  eyes  and  the  fair,  sad 
face,  the  king  did  not  present  his  guest ;  an 
omission  for  which  neither  the  showy  charms 
nor  the  effusive  graciousness  of  Don't  Care  in 
any  way  compensated. 

The  Princess  Mina  did  not  turn  her  back  on 
Henry  this  time,  but  spoke  to  her  brother,  who 
was  standing  near.  After  Henry  had  made  his 
bow  to  the  queen,  he  was  presented  to  Don't 
Care  and  stopped  beside  her.  Presently  the 
Crown  Prince  came  to  him  and  said: 

"The  king  will  leave  in  a  few  minutes  for 
The  Tabagie,  and  when  he  goes  I  want  to  pre- 
sent you  to  my  sister." 

The  prince  returned  to  Wilhelmina,  and 
Don't  Care  said,  laughing: 

"Fritz  means  Sister  Mina.  He  always  means 
her  when  he  says  'my  sister*.  When  he  speaks 
of  me  he  says  'Don't  Care'."  The  girl  laughed 
softly,  shrugged  her  white  shoulders,  and  con- 
tinued: "He  and  Mina  are  jealous  because  my 
father  loves  me  best." 

7 


98  A   GENTLE   KNIGHT 

Henry  could  find  no  suitable  reply  to  Don't 
Care's  remark,  so  he  remained  silent  for  a  mo- 
ment and  turned  his  face  toward  the  king,  who 
was  moving  in  the  direction  of  the  door. 

"Now  Fritz  will  soon  return,"  said  Don't 
Care,  "and  carry  you  off  to  his  *  sister'.  Then 
I'll  see  you  no  more.  If  once  Mina  gets  her 
clutches  on  a  man,  I  and  all  the  other  ladies 
may  as  well  cry  quits." 

"The  Princess  Wilhelmina  is  certainly  very 
beautiful,"  said  Henry,  "but — but — pardon 
me,  your  Highness,  too,  is  most  amply  equipped 
to  make  other  ladies  'cry  quits'." 

"I  don't  know  what  she  does  to  men,"  said 
the  girl,  shrugging  her  shoulders  and  shaking 
her  head  dolefully,  "but  in  some  way  she  cap- 
tures them  all  and  manages  to  hold  them.  She 
opens  her  big  gray  eyes,  and  I  suppose  makes 
men  pity  her.  Men  are  so  gullible.  If  a  woman 
cries  'help,  help!'  they  believe  in  her  wail  and 
at  once  try  to  comfort  her." 

"The  Princess  Wilhelmina  surely  needs  no 
man's  pity,"  answered  Henry,  almost  in  a 
reverie.  "She  is  above  the  ordinary  sorrows 
of  life." 

"No  one  is  above  the  ordinary  sorrows  of 
life,"  answered  Don't  Care.  "But  Mina's 
troubles  are  of  her  own  making.  She  has  ogled 


OF   OLD   BRANDENBURG  99 

so  many  men  that  all  the  marriageable  world 
seems  to  want  to  marry  her." 

Don't  Care's  words  irritated  Henry,  but  he 
laughed  and  answered: 

"I  should  suppose  that  to  be  a  source  of 
happiness." 

"Not  in  Mina's  case,"  responded  Don't  Care. 
"The  men  who  want  to  marry  her  would 
frighten  a  hag,  and  it  seems  that  after  she  wins 
them  she  hates  them ;  so  she  is  unhappy.  When 
very  young  she  was  betrothed  to  our  cousin, 
Prince  Frederick  of  England,  but  when  he  came 
to  see  her,  she  took  so  great  a  dislike  to  him 
that  now  she  is  wretched  at  the  thought  of  mar- 
rying him.  He  is  madly  in  love  with  her  great 
owl  eyes  and  her  pale  face,  but  he  is  a  fool  and 
I  told  him  as  much.  I  think,  however,  there  is 
little  chance  of  the  marriage  ever  taking  place. 
Father  wants  to  get  rid  of  her,  and  is  eager  to 
marry  her  to  any  one  who  will  have  her,  but  I 
doubt  if  he  ever  consents  to  the  English  mar- 
riage. The  handsome,  gallant  creature  stand- 
ing by  her  side,  the  Margrave  of  Schwedt,  will 
probably  be  the  lucky  man,  for  I  am  sure  father 
will  soon  send  Prince  Frederick  and  King 
George  about  their  business." 

Don't  Care's  words  troubled  Henry,  for  the 
vision  of  the  Margrave  of  Schwedt,  and  still 


100  A   GENTLE   KNIGHT 

worse,  the  image  of  the  Duke  of  Weissenfels, 
came  before  his  mind,  and  he  saw  the  sad,  sweet 
face  and  the  wonderful  gray  eyes  linked  with 
misery  and  woe. 

"I  hope  that  no  such  fate  is  in  store  for  your 
sister,"  said  Henry.  ''She  would  probably  be 
unhappy  if  married  to  the  man  to  whom  she  is 
talking. ' ' 

"Why  should  she  be  unhappy?"  asked  Don't 
Care.  "If  she  would  not  be  content  with  him 
for  a  husband,  why  does  she  treat  him  so 
kindly?  But  she  will  have  to  take  him  even 
though  she  doesn't  want  him,  if  father  wills  it." 

"Perhaps  your  sister's  kindly  heart  prompts 
her  to  be  kind  to  every  one,"  returned  Henry. 

"Ah,  I  see  you  are  caught  already,  though 
she  has  looked  at  you  less  than  a  dozen  times." 

"I  have  not  noticed  the  princess  conferring 
such  an  honor  on  me  even  once." 

"Then  you  are  duller  than  I  think  you  are," 
retorted  Don't  Care,  laughing  softly.  "But 
father  has  left  the  room,  and  here  comes  Fritz 
to  take  you  away.  Go!  Don't  Care  doesn't 
care.  Go  to  your  fate."  And  that  is  exactly 
what  Fritz  Henry,  the  Hereditary  Prince  of 
Bayreuth,  did  then  and  there. 

"Sister,  this  is  the  gentleman  who  plays 
Handel  so  beautifully,"  said  the  Crown  Prince. 


OF   OLD   BRANDENBURG          101 

The  princess  offered  her  hand,  and  Henry, 
bowing  low,  kissed  it. 

"I  hope  I  may  soon  hear  you  play,"  said  the 
princess,  lifting  her  great  gray  eyes  to  Henry's 
face. 

"I  shall  be  delighted  to  obey  your  Highness 's 
command  at  any  time,"  answered  Henry. 

"My  request,  not  my  command,"  returned 
the  Princess  Mina.  "My  brother  has  told  me 
of  your  playing,  and  I  would  not  command — " 

"She  will  not  command  is  what  she  means," 
interrupted  our  old  friend,  the  Margrave  of 
Schwedt.  "Her  Highness  is  too  gentle  and 
too  kind  to  command,  though  her  slightest  wish 
has  all  the  force  of  a  royal  edict.  You  must 
not  forget  what  I  told  you,  sir,"  continued  the 
Margrave,  speaking  English.  "There  is  no 
other  like  her." 

The  princess  was  annoyed  at  the  uncouth 
flattery,  and  Fritz  Henry  was  amused  at  the 
expression  on  the  Margrave's  face,  which 
seemed  to  say:  "Observe  my  wits  at  work." 

Wilhelmina,  desiring  to  change  the  subject, 
turned  to  Henry  and  said : 

"I  see  that  you  speak  English?" 

"Yes,"  responded  Henry. 

"I  am  glad,"  she  continued,  speaking  Eng- 
lish. "One  may  converse  more  freely  in  a 


102  A   GENTLE   KNIGHT 

tongue  that  is  not  understood  by  every  one,  and 
I  like  your  language  for  its  own  sake."  Evi- 
dently she  was  endeavoring  to  keep  the  con- 
versation going  until  Adolph  should  leave, 
when  she  would  speak  what  was  in  her  mind. 
Presently  the  Margrave  left,  and  the  princess 
said,  somewhat  hurriedly: 

"I  want  to  thank  you  for  your  ready  and 
generous  help  to  my  brother  at  the  harpsi- 
chord. ' ' 

"It  was  a  very  small  thing,  easily  done," 
answered  Henry. 

"The  thing  itself  was  small,"  returned 
Wilhelmina,  "but  to  think  of  it  at  the  right 
time  was  great.  You  cannot  know  how  great. 
It  saved  my  brother,  at  least,  a  beating  from 
the  king's  stick,  and  probably  a  month  in  the 
dungeons  of  Spandau  Castle." 

"Impossible!"  exclaimed  Henry.  "I  cannot 
believe  that  the  king  would  inflict  so  great  a 
punishment  on  your  brother  for  so  slight  an 
offense,  and  I  don't  understand  why  playing 
the  harpsichord  should  be  an  offense  at  all." 

The  princess  looked  at  the  floor,  paused  for 
a  moment  to  suppress  her  evident  emotion,  and 
said,  hesitatingly: 

"You  do  not  know  what  terrible  things  hap- 
pen in  this  palace,  nor  can  you  dream  of  the 


OF   OLD   BRANDENBURG          103 

frightful  fate  that  hangs  over  my  brother  and 
me,  like  the  sword  of  Damocles."  She  stopped 
speaking  because  her  voice  was  choked,  but 
presently  continued:  "I  should  not  speak  of 
such  things  to  a  stranger,  but — but  since  your 
kindness  to  my  brother,  I  cannot  help  feeling 
and  hoping  that  you  are  our  friend.  We  need 
a  friend,  for  saving  Katt  and  Keith,  whose 
friendship  is  stronger  than  their  judgment,  we 
have  no  friends  in  all  the  world.  Even  the 
queen,  who  loves  us  dearly,  is  constantly  bring- 
ing trouble  upon  us."  Again  the  princess 
paused  to  regain  composure,  but  soon  con- 
tinued: "It  seems  that  your  days  in  Berlin  have 
been  days  of  triumph.  You  have  accomplished 
the  wonderful  feat  of  winning  my  father  and 
my  brother,  and  I  believe  that  in  all  the  world 
there  is  not  another  man  who  could  win  both." 

"I  thank  your  Highness,  and  hope  you  are 
right  in  saying  that  I  have  won  both  the  prince 
and  the  king,"  returned  Henry. 

"I  do  want  to  say,"  continued  the  princess, 
' l  that  when  you  win  my  brother,  you  of  course 
win  me,  and  I  am  sure  you  will  not  in  any  way 
misunderstand  me,  but—  Again  the  princess 
paused.  Henry  remained  silent,  feeling  that 
she  had  not  finished  speaking;  " — but  I  am 
wondering  if  it  is  fair  to  allow  you,  who  know 


104  A    GENTLE    KNIGHT 

nothing  of  the  perilous  conditions  here  at  court, 
to  bear  the  dangerous  burden  of  two  such 
friendships.  My  father  and  my  brother  are  as 
oil  and  fire,  and  between  the  two  you  will  perish 
unless  your  judgment  and  discretion  are  greater 
than — than  it  seems  possible  any  man's  can 
be." 

Again  the  princess  paused,  then  spoke  hesi- 
tatingly :  "I  suppose  you  do  not  care  for  my  ad- 
vice, and  I  cannot  tell  why  I  wish  to  warn  you; 
but  with  all  the  need  my  brother  and  I  have  for 
your  friendship,  which,  for  some  reason,  I  am 
ready  to  believe  is  true,  I  do  advise  you  not  to 
remain  in  Berlin  unless  you  wish  to  take  your 
stand  on  my  father's  side  and  against  us. 
Great  misfortune  surely  awaits  us  and  all  our 
friends.  If  you  feel  that  the — the  curse  of  our 
friendship  is  to  fall  on  you,  I  urge  you  to  leave 
Berlin  without  delay." 

The  princess  finished  speaking  with  difficulty. 
Her  words  fell  so  heavily  on  Henry's  heart 
that,  for  the  moment,  he  could  not  reply.  Don't 
Care  was  right ;  Mina  certainly  made  men  pity 
her.  One,  at  least,  was  completely  carried  off 
his  feet  by  his  yearning  to  help  the  rare,  beau- 
tiful girl  whose  life  was  darkened  by  so  much 
grief  and  trouble.  Presently  he  answered  in 
low,  earnest  tones: 


OF    OLD    BRANDENBURG          105 

"I  hope  affairs  are  not  so  bad  as  you  fear, 
but  if  they  were  a  thousand-fold  worse,  if  my 
life  were  in  hourly  peril,  I  should  remain  for 
the  sake  of  being  near  your  Highness,  to  render 
what  help  I  could  in  case  of  need." 

The  girl  looked  up  to  his  face  with  surprise 
in  her  eyes.  There  was  also  gratitude,  but  she 
did  not  speak,  and  Henry  continued : 

"I  had  heard  your  praises  sung  long  before 
I  thought  of  coming  to  Berlin,  but  the  song  was 
a  poor  tribute  to — to — " 

"I  supposed  you  had  come  to  Berlin  involun- 
tarily," interrupted  Mina,  with  evident  desire 
to  change  the  subject. 

"You  are  right,"  answered  Henry.  "I  and 
an  old  servant  were  surrounded  by  a  company 
of  rascals  in  the  mountains  while  we  were  on  a 
journey.  There  were  six  of  them  and  two  of 
us.  I  was  unarmed,  so  I  surrendered  uncon- 
ditionally. My  servant  was  sent  home — a  long 
journey — to  tell  my  father  I  had  been  captured 
by  brigands,  and  I  was  carried  off,  having  no 
knowledge  of  my  destination.  I  did  not  know 
why  I  was  seized  until  I  met  the  Margrave  of 
Schwedt  at  an  inn  a  few  miles  from  here.  The 
Margrave — shrewder  far  than  he  appears  to 
be — discovered  the  truth,  and  I  learned  from 
him  that  I  was  intended  for  the  Grenadier 


106  A   GENTLE   KNIGHT 

Eegiment.  All  Europe,  of  course,  has  heard 
of  your  father's  peculiar  methods  of  recruiting 
for  his  favorite  regiment.  When  I  learned 
that  Berlin  was  my  destination,  and  that  I  had 
been  kidnaped  to  make  a  Grenadier,  I  was 
relieved  of  all  forebodings,  because  I  knew  I 
could  at  once  obtain  my  release  by  telling  your 
father  my — my  nationality." 

Henry  did  not  want  to  disclose  his  identity 
to  the  princess,  but  he  felt  that,  in  a  way,  he 
must  follow  up  what  he  had  said  concerning 
himself,  even  though  he  should  mislead  her  by 
an  untruth;  so  he  continued: 

''Knowing  that  your  father  recently  had 
trouble  over  kidnaping  one  of  King  George's 
subjects,  I  felt  sure  he  would  be  only  too  glad 
to  avoid  another  controversy,  and  was  certain 
he  would  release  me  on  demand." 

The  princess  glanced  swiftly  at  Henry's  face. 
He  thought  she  intended  asking  him  if  he  was 
an  Englishman,  so  wishing  to  prevent  the  ques- 
tion, he  hurriedly  continued: 

"Before  seeing  the  king  and — and  yourself 
in  the  Mirrored  Chamber,  I  had  made  up  my 
mind  to  refuse  to  enter  the  regiment,  but  after 
— after  seeing  you—  A  man's  mind  may  take 
a  very  great  leap  in  a  very  little  moment,  so 


OF   OLD   BRANDENBURG          107 

after — after  seeing  your  Highness,  I  suddenly 
determined  to  remain." 

Henry's  manner  was  more  significant  than 
his  words,  though  he,  perhaps,  was  unconscious 
of  it. 

The  princess  lifted  her  eyes  quickly  to 
Henry's  face,  looked  away  from  him,  and  said 
rather  coldly : 

' '  I  fear  you  forget  yourself. ' ' 

"No,  I  do  not.  I  have  good  right  to  say  that 
it  was  you  who  kept  me  here,  if  what  I  say  is 
true,  and  if  I  seek  no  reward  save  the  happiness 
of  serving  you  faithfully,  you  have  no  right  to 
deny  me  the  pleasure  of  offering  my  services. 
You  need  not  fear  that  I  shall  misunderstand 
your  graciousness,  nor  that  I  shall  make  a  fool 
of  myself  by  expecting  reward  for  any  service 
I  may  be  so  fortunate  as  to  render.  But  I  am 
glad  to  have  this  opportunity  to  tell  you,  for 
the  first  and  last  time,  what — what  it  is  right 
that  you  should  know.  When  I  prove  false,  I 
hope  I  may  win  your  hatred.  I  do  not  ask  your 
Highness  to  accept  me  on  faith.  I  may  be  a 
mere  adventurer,  or  may  be  false,  but  when  I 
have  proved  myself,  I  hope  you  will  give  me 
my  reward — the  only  reward  I  shall  ask — your 
trust." 

"I  know  you  are  not  an  adventurer,"  re- 


108  A    GENTLE    KNIGHT 

turned  the  princess  impulsively.  "You  have 
proved  yourself  to  be  a  faithful  friend  to  my 
brother,  and  I  will  meet  your  candor  half  way 
by  telling  you  that  I  now  take  you  on  faith 
and  without  probation." 

"I  thank  your  Highness,"  answered  Fritz 
Henry,  i  l  but  if  I  am  to  help  you  and  the  Crown 
Prince,  I  must  also  have  your  father's  favor, 
and  if  I  have  that,  I  fear  you  and  your  brother 
will  doubt  me." 

A  cloud  came  for  a  moment  to  the  princess's 
face,  but  after  a  brief  hesitancy,  she  said : 

"You  are  right.  A  wise  friend  is  a  double 
friend.  My  brother  and  I  have  found  so  much 
duplicity  in  the  hearts  of  men,  and  have  been 
deceived  so  often  by  my  father's  friends  who 
have  pretended  to  be  ours  that  we  are  naturally 
suspicious,  but  I  feel  sure  that  the  hope  of  gain 
from  Grumkow  and  my  father  would  not  induce 
you  to  be  false  to  us." 

' '  I  shall  make  no  grand  promises, ' '  answered 
Fritz  Henry.  "What  I  do  shall  be  my  promise. 
If,  apparently,  I  take  my  stand  among  those 
who  wish  evil  to  you  and  the  Crown  Prince,  it 
will  be  because  I  can  be  of  better  help  to  you. 
Neither  your  father  nor  Grumkow  has  any 
favor  to  grant  that  could  be  of  personal  value 
to  rne.  I  have  nothing  to  gain  by  remaining  in 


OF    OLD    BRANDENBURG          109 

Berlin  save  the  great  pleasure  of  serving  you.'* 

The  queen  had  been  glancing  with  evident 
displeasure  toward  Wilhelmina  and  Henry, 
whose  conversation  had  lasted  too  long  to  suit 
her  Majesty,  so  he  bowed  and  said: 

"I  hope  your  Highness  will  often  give  me 
the  privilege  of  speech  with  you." 

"  It  is  a  privilege  that  I  shall  seek  for  my  own 
sake,"  replied  the  princess,  lifting  her  eyes  for 
a  moment  to  Henry's  face,  and  then  looking  to 
the  floor. 

"I  beg  to  bid  your  Highness  good-night," 
said  Henry. 

"Good-night." 

Fritz  Henry  left  the  princess,  spoke  a  word 
to  the  Crown  Prince,  talked  for  a  moment  with 
the  Margrave  of  Schwedt,  asked  leave  of  the 
queen  to  withdraw,  made  his  adieux  and  went 
to  his  bedroom,  a  garret  near  the  apartments 
of  Prince  Fritz.  Not  far  from  Fritz  Henry's 
bedroom  were  the  wretched  little  pigeon-holes 
occupied  by  Katt  and  Keith,  and  near  by  was 
the  room  of  the  Margrave  of  Schwedt. 

When  the  queen  reached  her  bedroom  that 
evening,  she  sent  her  maid,  Ramen,  to  fetch 
Wilhelmina.  "When  the  princess  arrived,  her 
Majesty  glared  angrily  at  her,  and  said : 


110  A   GENTLE    KNIGHT 

"You  made  a  beautiful  spectacle  of  yourself 
this  evening." 

"In  what  respect,  mother?"  asked  Mina. 

"You  talked  to  your  father's  new  creature 
for  half  an  hour.  With  blushing  and  casting 
down  your  eyes,  and  looking  up  to  his  face,  one 
would  have  thought  you  were  a  country  maiden 
talking  to  her  yokel  in  the  lane." 

"You  talked  to  him,  mother,  and  Don't  Care 
talked  to  him  longer  than  I  did,"  answered 
Mina. 

"She  must  have  been  timing  all  who  talked 
to  her  handsome  captain,"  suggested  Don't 
Care. 

"I  timed  nobody,"  said  Mina.  "I  talked  to 
the  gentleman  whom  my  father  presented  to 
you  and  whom  my  brother  presented  to  me. 
No  one  else  came  near  me,  and  while  he  re- 
mained at  my  side,  I  cannot  see  how  I  could 
have  avoided  talking  to  him,  so  I — I  talked  to 
him." 

"Indeed,  you  did  talk  to  him  half  the  even- 
ing," retorted  the  queen.  "I  hear  he  has 
already  found  favor  with  Grumkow  and  the 
king,  though  he  has  been  in  Berlin  only  a  few 
days.  Perhaps  he  was  brought  here  to  spy 
upon  your  brother  and  me.  For  all  you  know, 
he  may  be  here  for  the  purpose  of  assassina- 


OF   OLD   BRANDENBURG          111 

ting   the  Crown  Prince   and  abducting  you." 

"Mother,  mother,  you  don't  understand,'* 
said  the  Princess  Mina.  "This  man  is — is — " 

The  princess  stopped  speaking  because  she 
knew  that  the  queen  would  repeat  every  word 
to  Ramen.  Mina  also  knew  that  Ramen  was 
Grumkow's  spy,  though  the  queen  could  never 
be  brought  to  believe  it. 

Ever  since  the  birth  of  Wilhelmina,  the 
queen's  great  desire  had  been  for  the  marriage 
of  the  princess  to  Prince  Frederick,  the  eldest 
son  of  her  Majesty's  brother,  George  II  of 
England.  Queen  Sophia  was  a  foolish,  bad- 
tempered,  though  affectionate  mother,  and  for 
some  unaccountable  reason,  blamed  Wilhelmina 
because  the  English  marriage  had  not  been  con- 
cluded, though  the  princess  had  no  more  to  do 
with  it,  pro  or  con,  than  she  had  to  do  with  an 
eclipse  of  the  moon. 

Mina  knew  her  English  cousin  and  despised 
him,  but  she  was  well  aware  that  her  feeling 
in  the  matter  would  not  be  given  even  a  pass- 
ing thought  by  either  of  her  parents,  and 
the  poor  helpless  girl  was  ready  to  meet  her 
fate,  whatever  it  might  be.  At  twenty  she  was 
almost  tired  of  life,  and  was  resigned  to  be  the 
victim  of  either  her  father,  her  mother,  or  both. 
Many  marriages  had  been  proposed  by  the  king, 


112  A   GENTLE    KNIGHT 

but  the  queen  clung  to  one — that  with  Eng- 
land's prince. 

Nearly  all  of  the  men  Wilhelmina  had 
met  were  repulsive  in  person  and  character. 
Up  to  the  time  of  meeting  Fritz  Henry,  she  had 
spoken  to  but  few  men  who  were  worthy  to  be 
accepted  by  her  as  friends,  save  two  or  three 
of  her  brother's  associates,  who  were  hardly 
more  than  boys.  Fritz  Henry  had  furnished  a 
new  standard  by  which  she  could  measure  men, 
and,  in  a  way,  had  changed  her  opinion  of  the 
entire  race.  He  had  prompted  a  new  thought 
in  her  mind,  and  had  inspired  a  new  impulse  in 
her  heart  concerning  that  hitherto  frightful 
nightmare,  her  future  husband.  She  could  not 
help  thinking  that  if  Prince  Frederick  of  Eng- 
land were  like  this  man,  if  the  Margrave  of 
Schwedt  were  of  his  pattern,  or  if  any  man 
seeking  her  hand  were  similar  even  in  a  small 
degree  to  this  gentle  spoken,  handsome  captain, 
life  would  have  a  very  different  hue,  and  the 
future  would  be  as  rosy  as  the  morning's  dawn. 

All  these  new  emotions  in  the  breast  of  the 
Princess  Mina  found  expression  in  tears  that 
evening  when  she  was  alone  with  her  friend  and 
lady  in  waiting,  Kate  Sonnsfeld.  While  ar- 
ranging the  princess's  toilet  for  the  night, 
Sonnsfeld,  who  always  spoke  to  Mina  in  Eng- 


OF   OLD   BRANDENBURG          113 

lish,  though  she  spoke  the  language  brokenly, 
had  a  great  deal  to  say: 

"Ah,  Mina,  I  saw  you  talking  to  the  Hand- 
some Captain.  That  is  the  name  your  sister 
Charlotte  gives  him.  Have  I  not  often  told 
you  that  all  men  are  not  to  be  hated?" 

"You  have  often  told  me  so,"  answered 
Mina,  "but  why  do  you  tell  me  now?" 

"Because,  my  Mina,"  returned  Sonnsfeld; 
"the  man  you  talked  to  this  evening  is  not  one 
to  be  hated;  neither  is  he  to  be  talked  to  too 
much  unless  my  Mina  would  be  unhappy.  One 
could  easily  see  by  your  face  that  he  was  not 
one  to  be  hated  by  you.  You  looked  happier 
and  brighter  than  I  have  seen  you  in  months, 
and  that  makes  me  happy.  Yes,  liebling,  it 
makes  me  happy  ' 

Sonnsfeld  kissed  Mina's  bare  shoulder,  and 
continued:  "No,  no,  dear  one.  All  men  are  not 
to  be  hated.  In  truth,  there  are  thousands  of 
men  who  are  to  be  loved  by  women  as  nothing 
else  in  all  this  world  can  be  loved.  A  child's 
love  for  its  parents  is  sweet  and  beautiful;  a 
mother's  love  is  deep  and  marvelous;  but  ah, 
Mina  mine,  if  you  take  all  the  different  kinds 
of  love  the  human  heart  can  give  and  roll  them 
into  one,  and  multiply  their  utmost  strength  a 
thousand-fold,  you  will  still  have  only  a  small 
8 


114  A   GENTLE    KNIGHT 

part  of  that  love  which  a  woman  may  give  to 
the  man  who  is  to  be  loved  by  her. ' ' 

"If  her  love  be  right,"  suggested  Mina. 

"It  matters  not  whether  the  world  calls  her 
love  right  or  wrong,"  answered  Kate,  em- 
phatically; "if  she  must  love,  she  must;  if 
it  is  her  fate,  she  can  in  no  way  avoid  it. 
It  pulses  in  her  breast  with  the  first  drop  of 
blood  that  passes  through  her  baby  heart.  It 
burns  her  in  womanhood  and  is  all  of  life 
that  is  left  to  her  when  death  comes  to  give  her 
rest.  But  the  love — ah,  Mina,  it  cannot  die. 
It  is  God  Himself.  Some  have  naught  of  God 
in  them.  God  must  pity  them,  for  their  souls 
will  rest  forever  in  the  earth.  Some  seem  to 
have  too  much  of  God  in  them,  and  when  that  is 
true,  life  is  apt  to  be  a  sweet  torture." 

"Why  Sonnsfeld,  what  has  come  over  you 
that  you  preach  me  this  long  sermon  on  love  ? ' ' 
asked  the  princess. 

"Because,  Mina,  you  have  God  within  your 
heart,  and  you  will  know  all  too  soon  why  I 
preach  to  you  if  many  times  you  talk  to  this 
Handsome  Captain,"  answered  Sonnsfeld. 

After  a  long  pause,  the  lady  in  waiting  con- 
tinued: "This  love  comes  in  so  many  ways. 
Sometimes  it  comes  like  the  overlapping  tide, 
ever  encroaching  upon  the  heart  until  it  engulfs 


OF    OLD    BEANDENBUEG          115 

it.  But  like  the  tide,  it  cannot  be  stemmed,  and 
no  man,  much  less  woman,  can  stop,  for  a  mo- 
ment, its  ebb  or  flow.  Again  it  comes  like  a 
mountain  torrent  in  flood,  carrying  all  before 
it,  and  that  sort  of  love  sometimes  brings  death 
in  its  wake.  I  cannot  tell  which  will  come  to 
you.  I  often  fear  it  will  be  the  mountain  tor- 
rent. If  you  see  much  of  the  Handsome  Cap- 
tain, Mina,  it  will  surely  be  the  torrent  or  the 
tide." 

Wilhelmina  stretched  forth  her  hand  pro- 
testingly,  and  was  about  to  speak.  She  tried 
to  laugh,  but  ended  by  throwing  herself  on  the 
bed,  face  downward,  in  a  flood  of  tears.  Mina 
feared  that  the  tide  had  begun  to  flow,  and  she 
also  feared  that  she  would  be  powerless  to  say : 
"Thus  far  and  no  farther." 


CHAPTEE  VIII 

THE  TOBACCO  PARLIAMENT 

AT  the  Tobacco  Parliament  that  evening  was 
enacted  a  scene  worth  depicting,  because  of  its 
bearing  on  the  persons  of  whom  this  history 
treats,  and  because  it  was  one  of  a  multitude 
of  similar  scenes  occurring  during  the  reign  of 
this  half-mad  stormy  king. 

Near  the  hour  of  seven  o'clock,  those  who  had 
been  invited  to  the  Tobacco  Parliament  began 
to  drift  into  the  long,  low  room  in  the  north 
wing  of  the  palace,  where  The  Tabagie  usually 
assembled.  In  this  motley  crew  there  were 
philosophers  in  rags  and  fools  in  uniform. 
There  were  old  men,  young  men,  sober  men  and 
drunken.  They  would  all  be  more  or  less  drunk 
before  the  Parliament  adjourned,  since  no  man 
had  Frederick  William's  entire  respect  who 
was  not  capable  of  turning  himself  into  a  beer 
vat  and  walking  home  with  the  beer. 

When  the  king  arrived,  lie  went  to  the  head 
of  the  table,  struck  it  a  sounding  blow  with  his 
cane,  and  the  members  of  the  Parliament 
scrambled  into  chairs,  that  is,  those  who  could 
get  them.  Those  who  failed  to  secure  chairs 

116 


OF   OLD   BRANDENBURG          117 

stood  against  the  wall.  When  the  king  was 
seated  a  lackey  handed  him  a  long- stemmed  clay 
pipe  and  a  large  box  of  tobacco,  from  which  he 
helped  himself.  Another  lackey  carried  a  box 
of  ignited  peat  and  offered  the  king  a  light. 
Candles  and  wax  tapers  were  too  expensive  to 
suit  the  frugal  taste  of  Prussian  Majesty,  so 
peat,  which  held  fire  well,  was  used  for  lighting 
pipes,  notwithstanding  its  offensive  smell. 

On  the  king's  right  sat  Grumkow.  At  the 
left  of  his  Majesty  was  General  Seckendorf. 
Near  the  center  of  the  room,  against  the  wall, 
stood  our  friend  from  Schwedt.  Being  clumsy 
and  slow  of  movement,  he  had  failed  to  get  a 
chair. 

Scattered  about  the  room  and  seated  at  the 
table  were  a  few  men  of  some  slight  degree  of 
virtue,  but  there  were  more  of  every  degree  of 
vice.  Most  of  the  members  of  The  Tabagie 
were  men  who  hoped  to  profit  in  some  way  by 
imposing  upon  the  king's  credulity,  cajoling  his 
prejudices,  or  pandering  to  his  violent  whims. 
One  sure  road  to  his  favor  was  to  abuse  the 
Crown  Prince,  and  to  encourage  the  king  in  the 
belief  that  little  Fritz  was  a  traitor  to  his 
father,  consequently  to  his  country,  and  de- 
served to  be  beheaded  as  any  other  traitor. 
Many  of  the  Tabagians  were  spies  sent  to  Ber- 


118  A   GENTLE   KNIGHT 

lin  in  the  interest  of  other  nations.  No  other 
monarch  was  ever  so  great  a  dupe  as  was  this 
Frederick  William,  yet  no  other  man  ever 
accomplished  as  much  as  he  by  the  sole  use  of 
the  triple  vices,  stubbornness,  violence  and 
greed. 

Another  way  to  please  his  Majesty,  when  he 
was  to  be  pleased  at  all,  was  to  talk  about  his 
Grenadiers. 

"I  see  your  Majesty  has  a  new  recruit  for 
the  regiment,"  said  a  slim  little  minister  of  the 
Eeformed  Church,  who  sat  next  to  Grumkow, 
and  was  anxious  to  introduce  a  pleasing  topic 
of  conversation. 

Puff,  puff — Majesty  did  not  care  to  answer; 
even  the  Grenadier  Regiment  did  not  interest 
him.  Something  had  gone  wrong  with  Majesty. 
Silence  ensued  all  along  the  line,  Majesty  not 
being  ready  to  talk.  After  ten  minutes  of 
rapid  puffing,  during  which  the  ceiling  beams 
were  nearly  obscured  in  smoke,  the  king  cried 
out: 

"Tobacco!"  A  lackey  sprang  to  his  side 
with  a  box  of  tobacco  from  which  he  refilled  his 
pipe.  When  other  lackeys  had  helped  the 
guests,  the  king  shouted: 

"Beer!"  Then  the  stone  mugs  began  to 
clink  along  the  table.  After  the  king  had 


OF   OLD    BRANDENBURG          119 

emptied  two  or  three  stones  or  steins,  as  they 
were  called,  he  delivered  himself  of  one  bril- 
liant though  incomplete  sentence: 

"Cold—  '  (A  long  pause;  five  or  six  puffs) 
"outside." 

"Yes,  yes!  It  is  indeed  very  cold,  your 
Majesty.  Very,  very  cold,  indeed.  Yes,  yes, 
very  cold,"  said  the  little  minister,  eager  to  be 
the  first  to  concur  in  his  Majesty's  opinion. 

Majesty  did  not  answer  at  once,  but  waited 
until  he  had  thrown  several  clouds  of  smoke 
into  the  room,  when  he  said : 

"Nonsense.  It's  not  very  cold.  It's  just 
cold." 

Majesty  was  not  to  be  pleased. 

"True,  true,  your  Majesty,"  piped  the  little 
minister.  "It  is  just  cold — not  very  cold.  I 
might  say  it  is  cold  for  this  time  of  the  year. ' ' 

"It  is  not  cold  for  this  time  of  the  year," 
replied  the  king.  "But  it  is  cold." 

"Yes,  yes,  your  Majesty,  it  is  cold.  Doubt- 
less, your  Majesty  is  right.  It  is  not  cold  for 
this  time  of  the  year.  It  is,  as  your  Majesty 
truly  says,  just  cold."  The  little  minister,  like 
many  another  man,  talked  when  he  should  have 
kept  his  mouth  shut. 

"I  didn't  say  'just  cold',"  growled  the  king. 


120  A   GENTLE    KNIGHT 

* '  I  thought  your  Majesty  said — I  understood 
your  Majesty  to  say — " 

Majesty  glanced  significantly  at  Grumkow, 
who  unceremoniously  thrust  his  elbow  into  the 
little  minister's  ribs,  and  the  worthy  parson 
had  no  further  breath  to  waste. 

A  pause  of  several  minutes  ensued,  broken 
only  by  the  clanking  of  steins.  Vast  quan- 
tities of  beer  were  rapidly  disappearing,  and 
soon  many  tongues  would  be  loosened.  The 
king  talked  little  at  these  parliamentary  ses- 
sions, but  heard  all  that  was  said,  and  in  a  gen- 
eral way,  directed  the  subjects  of  conversation. 

This  evening,  several  topics  were  introduced 
by  a  word  from  the  king,  and  freely  discussed 
by  the  members  until  his  Majesty,  growing 
tired  of  a  particular  subject,  informed  the  par- 
liamentarian then  holding  the  floor,  in  polite 
though  emphatic  terms,  that  he  was  a  fool. 
That  epithet  applied  to  a  member  while  speak- 
ing was  equivalent  to  a  motion,  put  and  carried, 
to  lay  the  subject  under  discussion  on  the  table. 

It  was  easily  noticeable,  on  this  particular 
evening,  that  the  king  was  in  a  bad  humor.  He 
glanced  furtively  at  the  door,  and  seemed  to  be 
expecting  some  one  who  did  not  come.  A 
talkative  member  was  discussing  a  subject  that 


OF   OLD   BEANDENBUEG          121 

had  been  introduced,  when  suddenly  the  king 
cried  out: 

"You  are  a  fool!" 

The  member  took  his  seat,  and  the  subject 
under  discussion  was  laid  on  the  table.  The 
king  glared  angrily  about  the  room  for  a  mo- 
ment, and  demanded: 

"Where  is  that  rascal,  Fritz?  Where  is  the 
blackguard?  Did  I  not  command  him  to  come 
to  The  Tabagie  this  evening?" 

"You  did,  indeed,  your  Majesty.  You  did!" 
answered  Grrumkow,  sympathetically  desirous 
of  justifying  the  king's  anger.  "The  Crown 
Prince  is  the  most  undutiful  son  I  ever  knew  ' 

A  murmur  of  assent  rumbled  through  the 
room.  The  king,  still  glaring  angrily,  held  his 
pipe  in  his  hand  and  looked  as  if  he  would 
burst. 

"In  my  opinion,"  said  Grumkow,  "the  dis- 
obedience of  the  Crown  Prince  is  treason  to  our 
king  and  to  our  country." 

Cries  of  "True!  True!"  came  from  every 
throat  save  that  of  the  Margrave  of  Schwedt. 
Nearly  all  of  the  members  sprang  to  their  feet, 
eager  to  flatter  the  king  by  abusing  the  Crown 
Prince.  Many  of  them  spoke  at  the  same  time, 
and  grew  eloquent  in  their  denunciation  of  the 
crime,  the  treason,  the  black  ingratitude  exhib- 


122  A   GENTLE    KNIGHT 

ited  by  the  Crown  Prince  toward  the  kindest, 
gentlest,  wisest  and  most  indulgent  of  parents. 

The  Tabagie  was  getting  drunk  by  leaps  and 
bounds. 

Again  and  again  it  was  insisted  that  poor 
little  Prince  Fritz  should  suffer  the  punishment 
meted  out  to  traitors  for  his  crime  in  remaining 
away  from  The  Tabagie.  All  expressed  that 
opinion  with  sad,  deep  emphasis  save  our  friend 
from  Schwedt.  In  the  midst  of  the  hubbub  he 
stole  a  chair  from  an  enthusiastic  member  who 
had  risen  to  deliver  a  tirade  against  the  Crown 
Prince.  The  Margrave  stood  on  the  chair  to 
lift  himself  above  the  heads  of  the  crowd,  and 
with  violent  gesticulations,  screamed  for  recog- 
nition and  begged  permission  to  speak.  When 
this  was  obtained  and  when  silence  again  pre- 
vailed, he  delivered  himself  of  this  blessed  lie : 

"Your  Majesty  and  honorable  gentlemen:  I 
feel  that  I  am  to  blame  in  this  grievous  matter, 
and  my  heart  is  heavy  that  all  this  abuse, 
though  well  meant,  and  coming  from  the  hearts 
of  those  who  love  his  Majesty,  should  fall 
unjustly  on  the  innocent  head  of  our  noble 
Crown  Prince.  It  should  rest  on  my  shoulders 
— mine,  because  of  my  failure  to  deliver  the 
Crown  Prince's  message  of  deep  regret  that 
he  was  unable  to  come  to  The  Tabagie  this 


OF   OLD   BRANDENBURG          123 

evening,  to  participate  in  this  most  enjoyable 
occasion.  This  is  an  occasion  made  memorable, 
I  would  say,  not  only  by  the  wit  and  learning 
of  the  wisest  of  kings,  but  by  the  wisdom  and 
sagacity  of — of — of  those  who — who — let  me 
add — I  would  say — in  addition,  of  those  who — 
The  Romans,  your  Majesty,  delighted  to  hold 
meetings  similar  to  this.  The  Spartans  like- 
wise, your  Majesty,  held  their  congregations  in 
the  Forum,  and — " 

"No,  no,  not  the  Forum,"  interrupted  the 
little  minister.  "The  Forum  was  at  Rome." 

"Sit  down!"  cried  the  king,  glaring  at  the 
little  man.  "It  is  warm,  I  tell  you!  It  is  not 
cold!  Sit  down!" 

The  king,  who  was  comfortably  drunk,  shook 
his  stick  at  the  little  minister,  and  the  discom- 
fited parliamentarian  sat  down. 

"Yes,  your  Majesty,"  continued  Schwedt, 
waving  his  hand  pityingly  toward  the  little 
minister.  "I  assert  that  the  Spartans  met  in 
the  Forum,  and  I  defy  any  man  to  disprove  it." 
Adolph,  whose  beer  was  active  within  him, 
pressed  his  left  hand  on  his  breast,  defiantly 
lifted  his  right  on  high,  and  continued,  as  if 
addressing  the  world  at  large:  "Who  was 
there — let  me  ask  again — who  was  there  that 
now  is  here,  your  Majesty?  If  I  was  not  there, 


124  A   GENTLE   KNIGHT 

if  you  were  not  there,  if  the  gentlemen  within 
the  sound  of  my  voice  were  not  there,  if  no  one 
that  is  now  alive  was  there,  have  I  not — again 
I  ask — have  I  not  as  good  a  right  as  any  other 
man  to  say  that  the  Spartans  held  meetings 
similar  to  this  in  the  Forum;  that  the  Spar- 
tans—  " 

A  Greek  professor  rose  to  his  feet,  took  issue 
with  the  princely  Margrave  of  Schwedt,  and 
insisted  with  drunken  earnestness  that  the 
Ptolemys  built  the  Forum,  and  that  the  pyra- 
mids were  the  most  remarkable  structures  in 
the  world.  Others  joined  in  the  wordy  conflict, 
the  subject  of  which  soon  got  far  afield,  and 
Adolph,  who  had  no  message  of  any  sort  from 
Fritz,  thought  he  had  accomplished  his  purpose 
by  turning  the  tide  of  discussion  from  Fritz's 
treason  to  the  Forum,  the  Spartans,  the  pyra- 
mids and  the  rest  of  the  ancient  world. 

The  Margrave  dropped  out  of  the  discussion, 
laughing  softly  to  himself  over  the  trick  he  had 
played  the  king  and  The  Tabagie.  But  after 
a  time,  Grumkow,  who  was  determined  that  the 
Crown  Prince  should  not  get  off  so  easily, 
whispered  a  poisoned  word  to  the  king.  Majesty 
called  somebody  a  fool,  Sparta  and  the  pyra- 
mids were  laid  on  the  table,  and  Grumkow 
spoke  sadly  but  earnestly: 


OF    OLD    BEANDENBUEG          125 

"I  should  like  to  ask  what  message  the 
princely  Margrave  of  Schwedt  has  brought 
from  the  rebellious  Crown  Prince — if  any.  The 
most  indulgent  of  fathers  honors  the  most 
disobedient,  most  ungrateful  of  sons  with  a 
command  to  attend  the  meeting  of  this  distin- 
guished and  honorable  assembly.  The  son  fails 
to  obey.  His  Majesty  rightly  desires  that  the 
future  king  of  Prussia  shall  not  only  learn  wis- 
dom at  these  meetings,  but  it  is  our  gracious 
king's  wish  that  the  Crown  Prince  shall  also 
learn  the  arts  of  smoking  and  drinking,  that 
his  brain  may  be  strengthened  by  beer  and 
hardened  by  tobacco." 

"Hear!  hear!"  interrupted  the  Tabagians. 

"Yes,  friends,  hardened  by  tobacco  to  the  end 
that  he  may  be  able  to  govern  this  country  in 
some  faint  degree  with  the  wisdom  of  his  great 
father.  His  disobedience  to  his  father  is  trea- 
son to  the  king.  His  failure  to  come  here  and  to 
acquire  those  qualities  which  will  enable  him  to 
govern  this  country  wisely  and  justly  is  treason 
to  the  people.  Therefore  I  demand,  in  justice 
to  his  Majesty,  as  the  right  of  this  nation,  and 
as  the  privilege  of  this  assemblage,  that  the 
princely  Margrave  of  Schwedt  do  now  publicly 
deliver  the  Crown  Prince's  excuses,  if  any  lie 
has." 


126  A   GENTLE    KNIGHT 

"Ah,  gladly!"  cried  Adolph,  speaking  as  if 
the  moment  were  the  most  joyful  of  his  life. 
"I  would  say — I  wish  to  inform  his  Majesty— 
I  wish  to  say — I  am  glad  to — to — in  truth,  the 
Crown  Prince  is  very  ill,  your  Majesty.  He 
had  just  donned  his  regimentals,  and  was  happy 
at  the  prospect  of  a  delightful  evening  to 
be  spent  with  his  gracious  father,  and  with 
these  wise,  congenial  spirits,  when  a  sudden  ill- 
ness— a  frightful  cramping,  your  Majesty- 
came  upon  him  and  he  fainted  away — fainted 
away.  Just  before  he  became  entirely  uncon- 
scious, your  Majesty,  he  said:  'Tell — tell  father 
I  cannot  come.'  I  have  said — much." 

Adolph,  having  consumed  large  quantities  of 
beer,  and  being  naturally  of  an  emotional 
temperament,  could  easily  weep,  so  when  he  had 
finished  his  recital  of  the  Crown  Prince's  pains 
and  tortures,  he  pressed  his  handkerchief  to  his 
eyes  and  brushed  the  tears  away. 

The  king  gave  utterance  to  a  sound  between 
a  grunt  and  a  growl,  and  after  a  moment,  mut- 
tered into  his  beer  stein: 

"It's  a  lie!"  But  his  Majesty  liked  the 
Margrave  of  Schwedt,  and  did  not  wish  to  push 
the  matter  of  the  lie  too  far.  Perhaps,  on  the 
hard  old  king's  hard  heart,  all  unknown  to  him- 
self, there  was  a  soft  spot  for  his  son,  and  it 


OF   OLD   BRANDENBURG          127 

may  be  that  Majesty  wanted  to  believe  the  Mar- 
grave's lie.  Had  Adolph  carried  less  beer,  his 
lie  would  have  been  less  ornate  but  far  more 
convincing.  It  was,  however,  a  good  lie,  meant 
to  help  a  friend,  and  nothing  is  evil  which  adds, 
however  little,  to  the  sum  of  human  happiness, 
or  detracts  in  any  degree  from  the  sum  of 
human  misery. 

Perhaps  the  Margrave's  lie  would  not  have 
been  accepted  by  the  king  if  it  had  been  uttered 
earlier  in  the  evening,  when  the  king  and  his 
counselors  were  sober.  No  one  can  estimate 
the  amount  of  evil  that  was  averted  by  beer 
in  The  Tabagie  during  Frederick  William's 
reign.  Doubtless  many  a  man  has  owed  his  life 
to  the  fact  that  the  king  and  the  members  of 
The  Tabagie  became  drunk  before  they  had 
time  to  condemn  him  to  death. 

Of  late,  the  hated  English  marriage  had  been 
a  theme  over  which,  upon  the  slightest  provoca- 
tion, the  king  would  grow  most  en  joy  ably 
violent.  Therefore,  having  failed  in  thoroughly 
arousing  him  by  an  attack  upon  the  Crown 
Prince,  Grumkow  hoped  to  help  his  Majesty 
toward  happiness  by  saying: 

"Every  one  seems  to  try  to  anger  our  kind 
monarch.  His  family,  his  relatives,  his  allies 
all  conspire  to  give  him  trouble.  England 


128  A   GENTLE   KNIGHT 

plays  fast  and  loose  in  the  matter  of  Prince 
Frederick's  marriage  to  the  Princess  Wilhel- 
mina,  and — " 

"But  all  that  shall  be  brought  to  an  end  at 
once, ' '  cried  the  king,  springing  to  his  feet,  and 
striking  the  table  a  great  blow  with  his  cane. 
"My  brother-in-law  shall  make  a  dupe  of  me 
no  longer!" 

* '  No,  no ! "  came  in  stentorian  tones  from  the 
Margrave  of  Schwedt. 

The  king  did  not  notice  the  interruption,  but 
continued:  "He  has  delayed  the  fulfillment  of 
this  treaty  of  marriage  on  so  many  flimsy  pre- 
texts that  now  I  openly  declare  it  abrogated— 
absolutely  and  unconditionally  abrogated." 

"I  thank  your  Majesty!"  cried  Adolph  of 
Schwedt,  dancing  about  the  room  as  if  he  were 
insane  with  joy. 

The  long  Duke  of  Weissenfels  rose  like  a 
Jack  from  a  box,  bowed  majestically,  and  said : 
"I  thank  our  gracious  king.  I  thank  him  from 
the  bottom  of  my  heart  for  this  manifestation 
of  his  regard  for  me,  his  Majesty's  old  friend 
and  loyal  ally." 

"Ha,  ha,  ha!"  laughed  the  Margrave  of 
Schwedt.  "Why  do  you  thank  his  Majesty? 
Do  you  suppose  that  the  abrogation  of  the 
treaty  with  England  will  result  in  any  benefit 


OF    OLD    BRAND3NBURG          129 

to  you — you — you  long,  lean,  drunken  fool?" 
The  Margrave  danced  joyfully,  but  menac- 
ingly up  to  the  tall  thin  Duke  of  Weissenfels, 
who  was  standing  by  the  table.  His  Grace, 
fearing  that  the  Margrave  was  going  to  attack 
him,  placed  the  ducal  hand  slowly  but  forcefully 
on  his  enemy's  breast  and  pushed.  The  Mar- 
grave, being  top-heavy  with  beer  and  unable 
to  withstand  even  a  slight  pressure,  real- 
izing that  he  was  about  to  fall  backward  to  the 
floor,  grasped  the  ducal  wrist.  The  duke  was 
unable  to  sustain  the  Margrave's  weight,  so 
when  the  Margrave  fell,  with  his  Grace  on 
top  of  him,  each  thought  the  other  was  attacking 
him,  and  both  were  badly  frightened.  After 
the  fall,  the  duke's  energies  were  exerted  to 
get  himself  off  the  Margrave,  and  the  Mar- 
grave's utmost  efforts  were  put  forth  to  get 
himself  from  under  the  duke.  Therefore,  the 
belligerents  were  separated  easily,  and  rose 
to  their  feet,  more  frightened  than  hurt,  and 
more  angry  than  frightened. 

The  incident  turned  the  tide  of  discussion 
from  the  English  marriage,  and  other  subjects 
were  taken  up. 

Many  topics  of  all  degrees  of  importance, 
ranging  from  scandalous  intrigues  among  the 
servants  to  the  gravest  matters  of  state,  were 

9 


130  A   GENTLE    KNIGHT 

discussed,  as  usual,  this  evening  at  The  Tabagie. 
But  when  the  subject  of  Wilhelmina's  marriage 
to  Prince  Frederick  was  dropped,  Adolph  lost 
interest  in  the  further  proceedings,  and  asked 
to  be  excused  on  the  ground  that  he  had  no 
chair,  and  that  he  suffered  great  pain  in  his 
feet. 

When  the  Margrave  escaped  from  The  Taba- 
gie, he  hurried  to  Henry's  bedroom,  where  he 
found  his  new  friend  reading. 

"  Congratulate  me,  congratulate  me,  my 
friend!"  cried  the  Margrave,  trying  to  kiss 
Henry.  "At  last  I  am  to  have  the  princess!" 

Henry  thought  the  Margrave  was  mad,  but 
said :  "If  what  you  say  is  true,  I  do  congratu- 
late you." 

"It  is  true!"  cried  the  Margrave,  excitedly. 
1 '  True,  true,  true !  Ah,  I  am  to  have  the  angel ! 
Was  ever  man  so  fortunate?  I  shall  be  so 
happy — so  happy  that  heaven  itself  would  be 
hateful  to  me.  I  shall  have  my  heaven  here 
with  my  angel,  meine  liebling.  I  shall  be  her 
knight — her  slave.  The  English  betrothal  was 
annulled  this  evening  by  the  king  in  open  Taba- 
gie. Grumkow  told  me  to-day  it  would  be,  and 
he  told  me,  too,  that  the  king  would  give  me 
the  princess  at  once.  Lieber  Himmel!  The 
happiness  will  burst  my  heart!" 


OF    OLD    BRANDENBURG          131 

The  Margrave's  words  did  not  seem  like  the 
ravings  of  a  madman,  and  a  convincing  sense 
of  their  truth  beat  painfully  on  Henry's  heart. 
He  had  seen  but  little  of  the  princess,  and  had 
talked  with  her  but  once.  He  was  not  a  sus- 
ceptible youth,  ready  to  fall  in  love  with  every 
pretty  face  he  met,  but  in  Wilhelmina  he  had 
found  a  girl  who  was  of  his  class — royal;  who 
was  beautiful  in  every  sense  of  the  word,  but 
whose  real  appeal  was  stronger  than  the  attrac- 
tion of  mere  physical  beauty  could  possibly  be 
to  a  man  of  his  temperament.  He  saw  in  this 
rare  girl  intellect,  gentleness,  purity  and  wis- 
dom, but  he  also  saw  something  more  that  drew 
him  to  her  with  greater  force  than  all  her 
charms.  He  saw  that  she  suffered  and  that  she 
needed  help.  He  saw  that  she  longed  for  that 
which  is  every  woman's  due — love,  tenderness 
and  protection. 

The  poor  princess  had  known  none  of  these 
since  her  babyhood  save  protection,  and  of  that 
she  had  had  too  much.  The  queen  loved  her, 
but  was  an  ill-tempered,  peevish,  foolish  woman, 
venting  all  her  spleen  on  Wilhelmina.  The  king, 
who  seemed  to  hate  the  princess,  treated  her 
with  all  the  brutality  at  his  command,  and  in 
that  respect  Frederick  William  was  a  genius. 

All  this  had  been  made  clear  to  Henry  during 


132  A   GENTLE    KNIGHT 

his  short  residence  in  the  palace  of  Berlin.  To 
the  right  sort  of  a  man,  no  appeal  is  stronger 
than  a  call  for  help  from  a  woman.  That  call 
had  come  with  all  the  distinctness  of  a  cry. 

Henry  pulled  himself  together  after  the  first 
shock  of  the  Margrave's  announcement,  and 
asked : 

"How  about  the  princess?  Has  your  wit 
triumphed  with  her?" 

"I  feel  sure  that  it  has,  or  will,"  answered 
Schwedt.  "You  have  noticed  the  kindness  with 
which  she  receives  you?" 

"I  have  been  delighted  by  her  graciousness, " 
returned  Henry. 

"You  see — you  understand.  She  is  kind  to 
you  because  you  are  my  friend, ' '  said  the  Mar- 
grave, standing  dramatically  before  Henry, 
and  emphasizing  his  remark  with  outstretched 
arms,  as  if  he  were  bestowing  a  benediction. 
He  also  smiled  a  genuine  Schwedtish  smile 
and  shook  his  head  knowingly.  The  Margrave, 
being  still  under  the  influence  of  beer,  was 
excited.  He  was  also  joyful. 

"So  she  loves  you?"  asked  Henry,  who  was 
inclined  to  smile,  despite  his  fear  that  the  im- 
portant fact,  Wilhelmina's  marriage  to  the  man 
standing  before  him,  might  easily  become  a 
fact  indeed. 


OF   OLD   BRANDENBURG          133 

* '  Ah,  my  friend,  I  cannot  say  with  certainty, ' ' 
answered  Adolph.  "But  this  I  know.  Even 
I — Lieber  Gott!  Lieber  Gott!  I  love!  I  love! 
In  all  the  world  there  lives  not  a  man,  my 
friend,  who  can  give  to  this  beautiful  princess 
the  devotion,  the  tenderness  and  the  love  that 
she  shall  have  from  me,  her  gentle  knight. 
There  is  in  my  breast  pain  for  her,  joy  for  her, 
the  tenderest  love  for  her,  such  as  all  the  world 
cannot  match,  and  when  she  is  my  wife,  I  shall 
live  for  her,  and  to  make  her  happy,  I  should 
gladly  die  for  her.  I  should,  I  should!" 

' '  But  if  she  does  not  love  you,  would  you  not 
make  her  unhappy  by  marrying  her?"  sug- 
gested Fritz  Henry. 

"That  may  be  true,"  answered  the  Margrave, 
sighing.  "But  my  mother  says  kindness  will 
win  her  in  time." 

He  took  a  chair,  was  silent  for  a  moment,  and 
then,  turning  to  Henry,  asked : 

"Would  it  not?  Would  not  tenderness  and 
love  win  her?  I  know  nothing  of  woman's 
heart.  You  must  be  wise  in  the  strange  lore. 
I  ask  you,  would  she  learn  to  love  me  if  I  poured 
out  my  whole  life  in  adoration  at  her  feet?" 

Loath  to  answer  the  question,  Henry  did  not 
at  once  respond.  The  Margrave  waited  a  mo- 


134  A   GENTLE    KNIGHT 

ment  with  pleading  in  his  eyes,  then  insisted 
on  an  answer. 

"Tell  me  truly,  friend.  Could  I  win  her  love 
by  devotion  if  now  she  loves  me  not?" 

"No,"  answered  Henry.  "The  devotion  of 
a  man  she  does  not  love  is  to  a  woman  what 
the  salt  sea  brine  is  to  a  shipwrecked  sailor— 
a  mocking  hope,  a  fatal  remedy." 

"Ach,  Gott!"  whispered  the  Margrave,  dry- 
ing the  perspiration  on  his  face  with  a  great 
red  handkerchief.  "Ach,  Gottl  I  feared  as 
much.  In  my  heart  I  knew  it  was  true  and 
there  was  no  need  to  ask  you." 

"It  is  true,  Margrave,"  said  Henry.  "If 
you  win  her  from  the  king  and  do  not  gain  her 
love,  you  will  inflict  on  her  the  greatest  of 
tortures." 

"Ach,  Gottl  I'll  never  do  it.  I'll  never  do 
it!"  cried  the  Margrave. 

"Do  you  mean,"  asked  Henry,  springing  to 
his  feet,  "that  you  would  not  marry  her  if  the 
king  forces  her  to  accept  you  against  her  will  ? ' ' 

"Ach,  truly  I  mean  it,"  answered  Schwedt, 
hoarsely.  "May  God  judge  me  as  I  treat  this 
beautiful  princess.  No,  no!  If  my  love  for 
her  kills  me,  I  will  not  take  her  for  my  wife 
against  her  will." 

The  Margrave  rose  to  his  feet  and  walked 
distractedly  about  the  room.  Henry  following 


OF    OLD   BRANDENBURG          135 

him,  placed  his  hand  on  the  honest  fellow's 
shoulder,  looked  into  his  face,  and  found  truth 
behind  his  words.  He  seized  his  hand,  and  said 
almost  lovingly: 

"Truly,  it  is  a  heart  of  gold." 

"Yes,  yes,"  sighed  the  Margrave,  "but  no 
one  sees  it  save  mother  and  you,  and — and 
perhaps  the  Princess  Mina.  Good-night,  my 
friend,  good-night.  You  have  drained  my  heart. 
There  is  no  blood  in  it.  There  is  no  hope,  and 
hope  is  the  life  of  the  blood." 

The  Margrave  took  his  leave,  and  after 
extinguishing  the  candle,  Henry  sat  by  the  win- 
dow, gazing  through  the  darkness  down  to  the 
palace  gardens. 

After  half  the  night  spent  in  meditation, 
he  said,  haltingly  to  himself:  "I  will  remain 
in  Berlin.  I  am  not  so  simple  as  to  make 
a  fool  of  myself  about  this  girl.  I  will  stay 
here.  It  may  be  that  I  can  be  of  help  to  her, 
and  perhaps  I  can  make  her  life  happier.  My 
life  may  not  be  so  happy  when  this  curious 
adventure  is  ended,  but  I  am  willing  to  carry 
a  heartache  if  it  will  relieve  her  of  even  a  part 
of  her  burden. ' '  After  looking  out  the  window 
for  a  moment  longer  he  sighed:  "I'll  go  to 
bed  and  shut  Wilhelmina  out  of  my  mind  by 
shutting  my  eyes." 

But  he  failed. 


CHAPTER  IX 

DON'T  CAKE   MAKES   LOVE 

During  the  next  fortnight  Henry  was  engaged 
in  military  duties  at  Spandau  and  Potsdam. 
He  was  in  Berlin  once  or  twice  for  short  visits, 
and  took  supper  with  the  Crown  Prince,  but 
did  not  see  Wilhelmina. 

One  evening,  after  Henry  had  returned  to 
Berlin,  the  Crown  Prince  invited  him  to  visit 
the  house  of  a  merchant  named  Bitter.  The  at- 
traction at  the  merchant's  house  for  the  Crown 
Prince  was  the  daughter  Doris  She  was  not 
beautiful,  but  she  was  of  a  kindly  nature,  and 
played  on  the  harpsichord  with  great  skill. 
There  was  no  thought  of  gallantry  between  her 
and  the  prince ;  music  was  the  only  bond. 

On  the  evening  of  the  visit,  Doris  and  Henry 
played  in  turn  at  the  harpsichord,  while  little 
Fritz  breathed  his  soul,  with  some  skill  and 
great  fervor,  into  his  flute.  On  the  prince's 
invitation,  the  elder  Bitters  sat  listening  to  the 
music,  and  the  evening  was  passed  in  innocent, 
healthful  enjoyment. 

Before  nine  o'clock  the  prince  and  Henry 

136 


OF    OLD   BRANDENBURG          137 

left  Ritter's  house  and  hurried  toward  the 
palace. 

"We  must  make  haste,"  said  little  Fritz. 
"If  the  king  returns  from  The  Tabagie  and 
does  not  find  me  at  home,  he  might  burst  a 
blood  vessel,  and  that  would  be  a  pity." 

Soon  after  they  left  Ritter's,  Henry  noticed 
a  man  following  them,  and  called  Fritz's  atten- 
tion to  him. 

"He  is  probably  a  spy  of  Grumkow's,"  said 
little  Fritz.  * '  But  as  we  have  done  no  mischief, 
he  will  have  his  trouble  for  his  reward." 

"Our  only  mischief  has  been  our  music," 
said  Henry,  laughing.  "Perhaps  the  king 
would  consider  it  mischief." 

"No,"  returned  Fritz.  "He  wishes  me  to 
associate  with  the  burgher  families.  His  aver- 
sion to  music  is  confined  to  my  music,  and  is 
but  a  vent  for  his  hatred  of  me." 

"The  king  does  not  hate  you,"  said  Henry, 
protestingly. 

"Indeed  he  does,"  returned  the  Crown 
Prince,  emphatically;  "and  I  fully  realize  that 
my  life  is  in  hourly  peril  from  his  violence. 
I  am  also  in  danger  of  assassination  at  Grum- 
kow's  hands.  I  wish  I  could  believe  that  it  is 
not  true,  but  Grumkow  will  rid  himself  of  me 
one  of  these  fine  days,  and  the  king  will  give 


138  A   GENTLE    KNIGHT 

my  poor  dear  sister  to  Schwedt.  Uneasy  lies 
the  head  that  expects  to  wear  the  crown." 

"The  Margrave  of  Schwedt  will  not  marry 
the  princess  against  her  will,"  said  Henry. 

Looking  up  in  quick  surprise,  Prince  Fritz 
answered:  "Mina  will  have  no  will  in  the 
matter.  Schwedt  will  not  know  her  wishes, 
but  should  he  know  of  her  antipathy  and  should 
he  refuse  to  marry  her,  the  marriage  will  take 
place  anyway,  with  or  without  the  consent  of 
either  my  sister  or  Schwedt.  Why  do  you 
say  he  will  not  marry  her  against  her  will?" 

"He  told  me  he  would  not,"  answered  Henry. 

"Poor,  foolish  Adolph.  He  will  do  whatever 
my  father  commands,  and  the  king  will  do 
whatever  Grumkow  wills.  Adolph  has  been 
madly  in  love  with  Mina  since  he  first  saw  her 
two  years  ago,  and  my  sister  and  I  feel  very 
sorry  for  the  poor,  simple,  harmless  fellow." 

"She  seems  to  treat  him  kindly,"  said  Henry, 
speaking  to  fill  up  the  pause. 

"Of  course  she  does,"  returned  Prince  Fritz. 
"Mina  treats  every  one  kindly.  She  is  gentle 
and  forgiving  even  with  Grumkow,  her  arch 
enemy.  My  sister  is  the  most  beautiful  char- 
acter in  the  world;  without  her  I  should  not 
want  to  live  another  day.  She  is  the  one  bright 
spot  in  my  miserable  life.  I  want  you  to  know 


OF    OLD   BBANDENBUEG          139 

her  better,  but  you  must  not  misconstrue  her 
kindness  and  fall  in  love  with  her,  as  every 
man  has  done  who  has  come  near  her  since 
she  was  a  child.  We  will  take  her  to  Bitter's 
the  next  time  we  go,  and  you  shall  walk  with 
her.  That,  I  wish  to  tell  you,  is  the  greatest 
favor  I  can  confer  on  you." 

"It  would  be  a  great  pleasure,  and  I  should 
value  the  honor  if  I  felt  sure  your  father  would 
not  object.  I  hear  he  is  very  strict  with  the 
princess,"  answered  Henry. 

"You  had  better  say  cruel  to  her.  That 
would  be  nearer  the  truth,  and  it  is  the  great 
pain  of  my  life.  I  could  suffer  all  his  cruelties 
without  flinching,  but  the  torture  he  inflicts 
on  her  is  at  times  more  than  I  can  bear,  and 
I  almost  wish  that  he  were  dead.  When  I 
think  of  Mina's  future,  I  do  sincerely  wish 
that  she  could  die.  She  was  very  ill  a  year 
ago,  and  I  hoped  she  would  die.  She,  too, 
hoped  to  die,  but  God  has  turned  his  face  from 
my  sister  and  me,  and  will  not  give  us  death 
because — because  we  want  it.  I  tell  you, 
friend,"  continued  the  Crown  Prince,  bitterly, 
"I  am  doomed,  unless  the  king  dies  soon,  and 
Mina  is  doomed  to  live." 

Beside  the  path  was  a  closed  board  fence, 
on  the  other  side  of  which  Henry  fancied  he 


140  A   GENTLE   KNIGHT 

heard  footfalls.  Twice  lie  looked  back  to  see 
if  the  man  he  had  noticed  was  following,  but 
the  fellow  had  disappeared.  When  the  Crown 
Prince  expressed  his  wish  that  his  father  might 
die,  Henry's  mind  reverted  to  the  supposed 
spy. 

"Some  one  is  on  the  other  side  of  the  fence," 
he  said,  speaking  in  low  tones,  "I  caught 
the  sound  of  footfalls,  and  I  fear  your  words 
have  been  overheard." 

"Probably  you  are  right,"  said  Fritz. 
"Spies  and  assassins  are  always  on  my  track. 
The  fence  ends  a  short  distance  ahead  of  us, 
and  we  will  investigate." 

The  Crown  Prince  drew  his  sword  and 
Henry  grasped  the  hilt  of  his  own  blade,  hold- 
ing it  ready  for  instant  use.  When  they 
reached  the  end  of  the  fence,  they  moved 
cautiously,  fearing  an  attack  from  ambush. 
Their  fears  were  justified.  Three  men  sprang 
from  behind  the  fence  and  attacked  the  prince, 
paying  no  attention  to  Henry.  Many  years 
afterwards,  it  was  learned  that  Grumkow  had 
hired  the  assassins  to  kill  the  Crown  Prince, 
and  intended  fastening  the  crime  on  Fritz 
Henry.  When  the  attack  came,  the  little 
prince,  who  fenced  beautifully,  held  his  assail- 
ants off  till  Henry  got  into  the  fray,  after  which 


OF    OLD  BRANDENBURG          141 

the  fight  was  soon  ended  and  the  three  ruffians 
were  put  to  flight,  with  the  plucky  little  prince 
in  pursuit. 

"Let  them  go,"  cried  Henry.  "They  may 
be  leading  you  into  another  ambush.  We  have 
driven  them  off.  Now  let  us  make  our  way 
home  as  soon  as  possible.  I  hope  your  words 
concerning  the  king  were  not  overheard.'* 

"No,  no,  they  were  not  overheard,"  returned 
the  prince.  "I  was  speaking  very  low.  I  am 
sure  no  one  could  have  heard  me  five  feet  away. 
But  if  they  were  overheard,  and  if  Grumkow 
could  convince  my  father  that  I  spoke  them — " 

The  Crown  Prince  was  silenced  by  the 
thought  of  probable  consequences. 

"If  Grumkow  should  convince  the  king,  what 
do  you  suppose  would  be  the  result?"  asked 
Henry. 

"Infanticide,"  answered  the  prince,  laughing 
at  his  own  gruesome  jest. 

The  Crown  Prince  and  Fritz  Henry  entered 
the  palace  by  a  private  door,  and  hastened  to 
the  queen's  parlor,  the  prince  wishing  to  say 
good-night  to  his  mother. 

The  queen  was  seated  in  a  great  armchair, 
busy  with  her  needle-work,  while  her  maid, 
Ramen,  read  aloud.  When  the  prince  and 
Henry  were  announced,  the  reading  stopped 


142  A   GENTLE    KNIGHT 

and  all  the  ladies  rose  save  the  queen.  There 
were  present,  besides  her  Majesty,  the  Princess 
Wilhelmina,  the  Princess  Don't  Care,  Sonns- 
feld  and  Eamen.  Soon  the  Margrave  of 
Schwedt  was  announced. 

The  prince  kissed  his  mother's  hand  and  was 
about  to  leave  the  room  when  the  queen  asked 
him  to  sit  beside  her  for  a  moment.  Henry 
made  his  bow  to  her  Majesty  and  turned  to 
Wilhelmina.  The  princess's  face  lighted  up 
beautifully  when  he  approached,  and  she  gave 
him  her  hand  to  kiss.  She  was  standing  apart 
from  the  others,  and  when  Henry  had  made  his 
bow,  said  laughingly: 

"When  last  we  met,  I  believe  you  expressed 
a  desire  that  you  might  have  speech  with  me 
soon  again." 

"Yes,  your  Highness,"  answered  Henry. 

"I  can  hardly  believe  that  you  said  it,"  she 
responded,  laughing  softly.  "Two  long  weeks 
is  not  'soon  again'." 

"I  have  been  at  Spandau  and  Potsdam," 
answered  Henry,  "and  have  almost  determined 
to  resign  my  commission  and  to  leave  the 
court. ' ' 

"I  don't  blame  you,"  returned  Wilhelmina, 
"but  I  hope  your  determination  will  remain 
' almost',  and  will  not  become  complete." 


OF    OLD  BRANDENBURG          143 

Henry  again  observed  the  queen  glancing 
toward  Wilhelmina,  and  imagined  that  the 
princess  was  uneasy  because  of  his  presence. 
So  he  said:  "I  thank  your  Highness.  I  shall 
remain. ' ' 

He  bowed  to  the  princess,  crossed  the  room, 
and  stopped  in  front  of  Don't  Care,  who  gave 
him  her  hand  to  kiss. 

1  'You  are  late  in  reaching  me,  Sir  Henry," 
she  said,  giving  the  English  knightly  title, 
partly  by  accident,  partly  in  jest,  and  continuing 
with  a  sigh:  "Every  one  comes  before  Don't 
Care." 

"It  is  only  modesty  that  keeps  your  Highness 
from  knowing  that  the  Princess  Don't  Care 
comes  before  every  one,"  responded  Henry. 

"Did  you  make  that  pretty  speech  to  Mina, 
too  1 ' '  asked  the  little  princess. 

"All  I  said  to  your  sister  was  that  I  had 
almost  determined  to  leave  Berlin." 

"But  you  will  not.  You  shall  not,"  said 
Don't  Care,  pettishly.  "You  are  the  only  real 
gentleman  that  has  visited  Berlin  in  months. 
I  wonder  who  you  are.  Why  don't  you  tell  us? 
The  queen  says  you  are  surely  of  noble  blood. 
Mina,  as  usual,  is  non-committal,  and  when  I 
asked  father  about  you,  he  said  he  knew  noth- 
ing save  that  you  were  six  feet  tall.  That's  all 


144  A   GENTLE   KNIGHT 

father  cares  to  know  about  any  man.  He  did 
say,  however,  that  you  had  more  brains  than 
Grumkow.  He  also  said  that  he  would  beat 
any  one  with  his  stick  who  tries  to  learn  who 
you  are.  You  see  there  is  a  delightful  mystery 
about  you.  For  all  I  know,  you  may  be  a 
prince  in  disguise,  but  Mina  says  if  you  were  a 
prince,  you  would  not  be  so  great  a  fool  as  to 
bury  yourself  in  this  hole,  where  we  have  noth- 
ing but  cabbage  to  eat." 

"  Every  man  is  a  fool  at  some  time  in  his  life, 
and  perhaps  my  time  has  arrived,  or  has  always 
been  here,"  answered  Henry,  laughing.  He 
was  about  to  make  his  bow  to  the  little  beauty, 
when  she  said : 

"Are  you  going?" 

"I  fear  I  must,"  answered  Henry. 

"I  have  not  seen  you  for  a  long  time,"  said 
the  princess,  "and  we  have  never  had  one 
moment  together,  by  ourselves.  Meet  me  at 
ten  o  'clock  to-morrow  morning  at  the  new  foun- 
tain in  the  west  garden,  and  we'll  see  if  Don't 
Care  can  offer  you  an  inducement  that  will  keep 
you  in  Berlin." 

Don't  Care's  astonishing  request  startled 
Fritz  Henry,  but  of  course  there  was  only  one 
reply  to  be  made,  so  he  said : 

"I  shall  be  honored." 


OF   OLD  BBANDENBUBG          145 

At  this  point  the  king  entered,  having  come 
from  The  Tabagie. 

The  prince  and  Fritz  Henry  soon  made  their 
bows  to  the  queen,  and  as  they  were  passing 
out,  Don't  Care  ran  to  Henry's  side  and 
whispered : 

''Don't  forget  Don't  Care  to-morrow  morn- 
ing." 

Henry  glanced  toward  Mina,  and  saw  that 
she  had  heard  Don't  Care's  words. 

When  the  king  and  the  Margrave  had  de- 
parted, the  queen  asked  sharply  of  Wilhelmina : 

"Why  did  you  give  your  hand  to  the  stranger 
to  kiss?  You  are  as  good  as  married  to  Prince 
Frederick. " 

"If  I  were  married,  mother,"  answered 
Mina,  "there  could  be  no  harm  in  what  I  did. 
He  kissed  your  hand  and  Don't  Care's." 

"Don't  answer  me,  but  go  to  bed!"  cried  the 
queen. 

Glad  to  be  dismissed,  Mina  and  Sonnsfeld 
hurriedly  left  the  room. 

The  next  morning  Henry  awakened  to  a  day 
of  trouble  because  a  beautiful  princess  had  made 
a  tryst  with  him.  He  cared  little  for  Don't 
Care's  beauty,  and  the  girl  had  nothing  else  to 
recommend  her.  On  the  other  hand,  her  evi- 
dent ill  feeling  for  her  sister  Wilhelmina 
10 


146  A   GENTLE    KNIGHT 

antagonized  him.  He  felt  that  the  younger 
princess  not  only  did  not  love  her  sister,  but  in 
a  way,  shared  her  father's  aversion. 

Henry  suspected,  too,  that  notwithstanding 
her  simplicity  and  vivacity,  Don't  Care  had 
inherited  at  least  a  part  of  her  father's  bad 
temper,  and  felt  sure  that  occasion  might  easily 
develop  it.  In  short,  he  was  far  from  wishing 
to  meet  the  little  princess  at  the  new  fountain, 
even  had  it  not  been  a  dangerous  adventure  A 
secret  meeting  with  one  of  the  royal  princesses 
was  an  honor  that  none  but  a  reckless  man 
would  desire,  though  there  seemed  to  be  no  way 
for  Henry  to  refuse  it. 

It  is  true  that  Berlin  was  the  most  demo- 
cratic court  in  the  world,  and  that  any  ruffian 
might  gain  access  to  the  royal  family.  It 
was  equally  true  that  Don't  Care  was  allowed 
to  exercise  the  liberty  of  a  burgher  girl,  and 
in  many  instances  had  been  guilty  of  im- 
prudences from  which  a  virtuous  burgher  girl 
would  have  shrunk.  Still  she  was  a  prin- 
cess royal,  and  to  meet  her  clandestinely  might, 
if  discovered,  prove  a  costly  piece  of  gallantry. 
But  Henry  could  not  well  remain  away,  so  he 
determined  to  keep  the  tryst,  and  to  act  as 
prudently  as  possible  under  the  circumstances. 

All  that  is  necessary  to  give  of  the  interview 


OF    OLD   BRANDENBURG          147 

is  a  small  portion  to  show  Don't  Care's  bud- 
ding love  for  Henry,  and  to  throw  light  upon 
its  consequences. 

"Ah,  here  you  are!"  cried  Don't  Care,  run- 
ning down  the  path,  looking  like  the  spirit  of 
morning.  She  came  quickly  to  Henry,  placing 
her  hands  familiarly  on  his  shoulder.  He 
stepped  back  and  bowed  respectfully. 

"Oh,  you  need  not  be  so  respectful  and  dis- 
tant," cried  Don't  Care,  smiling  and  dimpling 
exquisitely;  "no  one  can  see  us.  The  trees  and 
the  shrubbery  hide  us." 

"But  there  are  no  leaves  on  the  trees," 
returned  Henry,  "and  I  fear  we  may  be  seen." 

"If  I  don't  care,  why  should  you?  Most  men 
would  be  proud  of  a  chance  to  meet  the  Princess 
Don't  Care." 

"I  should  be,  your  Highness,  if— 

"Don't  say  'your  Highness';  say  'Don't 
Care'.  That  is  my  name  to — to  you,"  inter- 
rupted the  princess.  "You  see  we  have  pro- 
gressed rapidly  in — in  our  friendship." 

"I  wish  I  might  tell  you  how  highly  I  value 
your  Highness 's  condescension,  and  the  favor 
you  show  me.  But  I  fear — I  fear —  You  must 
know  that  if  your  father  were  to  discover — were 
to  know  of  your  great  condescension — of  your 
willingness  to  grant  me  the  favor  of  calling  you 


148  A   GENTLE   KNIGHT 

Don't  Care,  and  the  great  pleasure  of  meeting 
you  here,  his  Majesty  would  be  angry,  and  the 
result  might  be  ruin  to  me — perhaps  death." 

"Would  you  not  risk  death  for  your  lady 
love  ? ' '  she  asked,  looking  up  with  an  expression 
in  her  eyes  half  mirthful,  half  wistful.  "Any 
true  knight  would." 

"I  might  risk  all,  your  Highness,  if  condi- 
tions were  different,  but  a  wise  man,  though 
brave,  runs  away  from  a  danger  against  which 
there  is  no  defense.  I  should  not  have  come  to 
meet  your  Highness  had  I  listened  to  the  dic- 
tates of  prudence,  and  I  beg  permission  to  leave 
you. ' ' 

Henry  started  backward  down  the  path,  re- 
treating from  the  fiery  little  beauty,  but  she 
ran  after  him,  uttering  a  cry. 

"At  least,  tell  me  before  you  go  that  you 
care — that  you  would  stay  if  you  dared," 
whispered  Don't  Care,  pleadingly. 

It  would  have  been  hard  and  perhaps  danger- 
ous to  tell  the  princess  the  truth,  so  he  evaded 
a  direct  answer  by  saying: 

"If  your  Highness  were  of  my  rank,  or  I  of 
yours,  I  should  be  only  too  glad — oh,  I  beg 
your  royal  Highness  to  let  me  leave  you.  I 
must  not  'answer  your  question  and  you  must 
not  ask  it." 


•'Would  you  not  risk  death  for  your  lady  love?" 


OF    OLD   BRANDENBURG          149 

He  took  the  princess's  hand,  kissed  it  form- 
ally, and  ran  away  from  her. 

Do  not  believe  that  Henry  was  an  over 
modest  man,  or  that  his  treatment  of  the  prin- 
cess was  at  all  due  to  the  fact  that  he  was  of 
the  blood  of  Joseph,  for  he  was  not.  Later  on, 
if  you  read  this  true  history,  you  will  find  that 
he  was  bold  enough  when  he  wished  to  speak, 
and  that  neither  fear  nor  modesty  sealed  his 
lips  when  love  prompted  him  to  open  them. 
Don't  Care  was  the  wrong  girl. 

When  Henry  ran  away  from  the  princess,  she 
was  greatly  piqued,  but  soon  her  vanity  came 
to  her  rescue,  and  she  attributed  his  retreat  to 
his  fear  of  her  exalted  rank  and  her  still  more 
exalted  beauty.  She  believed  that  her  power 
of  attraction  was  almost  omnipotent  with  men, 
and  experience  had  gone  a  long  way  to  justify 
the  assumption.  Although  she  was  disappointed 
with  the  interview,  her  heart  throbbed  with  joy 
at  the  thought  of  Henry's  evident  emotion,  and 
from  her  point  of  view,  his  great  fear  of  her 
beauty  and  rank  was  the  highest  compliment  he 
could  pay  her. 

These  considerations,  coupled  with  the  fact 
that  he  had  not  been  brought  to  her  feet  so 
easily  as  other  men,  greatly  enhanced  his  value 
in  her  eyes,  for  to  Don't  Care,  nothing  was  as 


150  A    GENTLE    KNIGHT 

attractive  as  the  unattainable.  She  felt  sure, 
however,  that  she  should  soon  be  able  to  calm 
the  Handsome  Captain's  fears,  to  beguile  his 
caution,  and  bring  him  to  his  knees.  To  sub- 
jugate him  to  the  power  of  her  charms  was,  at 
the  time  of  the  interview,  Don't  Care's  only 
purpose.  Once  subjugated,  her  use  for  him 
would  cease.  Henry's  reluctance  to  yield  to  her 
blandishments  might,  if  he  proved  too  stub- 
born, anger  her  Highness,  though  eventually  it 
would  result  in  a  passionate  attachment  on  her 
part,  owing  to  the  powerful  allurement  of  the 
unattainable  as  represented  by  Henry's  hand- 
some person.  But  vanity  alone  was  at  the 
bottom  of  her  motive  in  the  beginning. 

Soon  after  Henry  had  gone,  Don't  Care 
sauntered  back  to  the  palace,  humming  a 
French  waltz  as  she  went,  and,  after  a  few 
minutes'  meditation,  feeling  surer  of  her  con- 
quest than  if  Henry  had  made  passionate  love 
to  her. 


ROYAL  DOMESTIC  BLISS 

AFTEB  leaving  the  garden,  the  little  princess 
entered  the  palace  and  went  to  the  queen's  par- 
lor, where  she  found  her  sister. 

"Where  have  you  been  so  early  this  morn- 
ing?" asked  Wilhelmina. 

"I  have  been  talking  to  your  friend,  the 
Handsome  Captain,  at  the  new  fountain,"  an- 
swered Don't  Care,  with  significant  emphasis 
on  the  words  "your  friend". 

Mina  flushed  despite  her  effort  to  appear 
unconcerned,  and  asked,  with  a  shade  of  irrita- 
tion in  her  voice:  • 

"Why  do  you  call  him  my  friend?  I  have 
hardly  spoken  a  hundred  words  to  him." 

"Perhaps  he  is  not  so  much  your  friend  as 
you  imagine, ' '  returned  Don 't  Care.  ' '  But  you 
have  not  missed  a  great  deal  in  losing  him  to 
me.  He  amounts  to  little.  There  is  nothing 
about  him  worth  mentioning  except  his  good 
looks.  He  certainly  is  handsome — the  hand- 
somest man  I  ever  saw — but  he  has  neither 
learning,  good  manners,  wit  nor  boldness.  I 
love  a  bold  man.  He  is  already  silly  for  love 

151 


152  A   GENTLE   KNIGHT 

of  me,  and  begged  me  last  night  to  meet  him 
at  the  new  fountain  this  morning,  though  he 
was  almost  afraid  to  speak.  I  met  him  only 
to  make  a  jest  of  him." 

If  the  first  part  of  Don't  Care's  speech  caused 
Wilhelmina  a  moment's  pain,  the  latter  part 
neutralized  it,  for  Mina  had  heard  her  sister 
ask  Henry  to  meet  her  at  the  new  fountain,  and 
felt  sure  that  the  initiative  had  all  been  on  the 
part  of  the  little  princess.  Applying  the  doc- 
trine l 'false  in  part,  false  in  all",  Mina  con- 
cluded that  Henry's  infatuation  existed  only  in 
Don't  Care's  imagination,  or  was  purely  an 
invention.  The  fact  that  Mina  analyzed  the 
situation  at  all  was  evidence  that  she  was  inter- 
ested in  the  Handsome  Captain  to  a  degree 
unsuspected  even  by  herself. 

After  Don't  Care  had  dubbed  Henry  the 
"Handsome  Captain,"  he  became  known  at 
once  among  the  ladies  of  the  immediate  royal 
circle  by  that  name.  No  one  knew  who  he  was, 
but  soon  all  knew  that  he  was  of  noble  blood, 
for  the  king  had  interrogated  him  on  the  sub- 
ject of  his  rank. 

"Are  you  of  noble  blood?"  the  king  had 
asked.  "Don't — don't  tell  me  any  other  word 
about  yourself.  I  am  curious  to  know  only  one 
thing — are  you  of  noble  blood?" 


OF   OLD  BRANDENBURG          153 

"I  am,  your  Majesty,"  answered  Henry. 

After  a  long  pause,  the  king  again  spoke,  fix- 
ing his  glittering  eyes  on  Henry : 

"Grumkow  says  you  are  a  spy." 

"Do  your  recruiting  officers  kidnap  spies  for 
your  Majesty's  regiment?"  asked  Henry.  "If 
they  are  such  fools,  your  Majesty  should  dis- 
miss them  or  hang  them.  Did  I  come  to  Berlin 
of  my  own  will  ? ' ' 

"No,  no,  you  did  not.  You  did  not.  Surely, 
you  did  not,"  answered  the  king. 

"Baron  Grumkow  doubtless  is  a  wise  coun- 
selor, but  in  this  instance  one  would  almost  be 
justified  in  saying  that  he  is  a  fool,"  said 
Henry,  looking  unflinchingly  into  the  king's 
eyes. 

"What!"  cried  the  king,  stepping  back  in 
surprise.  "But  you're  right.  You  are  right. 
None  but  a  fool  would  believe  you  are  a  spy — 
under  the  circumstances.  Grumkow  pretends 
to  suspect  every  one  who  finds  favor  in  my 
eyes."  The  king  paused,  muttered  unintelli- 
gibly for  a  moment,  laughed  softly,  and  contin- 
ued as  if  speaking  to  himself :  ' '  Bless  the  good 
God  for  sending  me  one  man  who  is  not  afraid 
to  speak  his  mind.  Grumkow,  a  fool!  Good! 
Good!  There's  not  another  man  in  my  king- 
dom that  would  have  dared  to  say  it  to  my  face. 


154  A   GENTLE   KNIGHT 

He's  not  afraid  of  the  devil  himself.  Good! 
Good!  Not  afraid  of  the  devil!"  Turning  to 
Henry,  his  Majesty  said:  "The  troops  are 
rested.  Set  them  to  work." 

This  conversation  occurred  on  the  day  that 
Henry  met  Don't  Care  at  the  new  fountain, 
the  day  after  the  visit  to  Eitter's.  Early 
in  the  evening  of  the  same  day,  his  Majesty 
said  to  the  queen : 

"My  new  captain  of  Grenadiers  is  of  noble 
blood.  Receive  him  kindly.  Perhaps  that 
rascal  Fritz  will  profit  by  his  company." 

The  Crown  Prince  and  Mina  heard  their 
father's  order  to  the  queen,  and  so  great  was 
the  breach  between  the  king  and  his  two  chil- 
dren that  his  Majesty's  favor,  shown  in  so 
marked  a  degree,  placed  Fritz  Henry  in  the 
rank  of  their  enemies.  Forgetting  past  serv- 
ice, the  Crown  Prince  at  once  concluded  that 
his  new  friend  was  the  king's  spy,  and  im- 
pressed "Wilhelmina  with  at  least  a  part  of  his 
suspicion. 

Mina  and  Fritz  had  learned  from  sad  expe- 
rience to  believe  that  no  man  could  win  the 
king's  favor  who  was  not  their  enemy.  Mina 
also  knew  of  Henry's  meeting  with  Don't  Care, 
and  it  served  to  strengthen  her  distrust,  not- 
withstanding her  knowledge  of  the  manner  in 


OF   OLD  BRANDENBURG          155 

which  the  meeting  had  been  brought  about. 
The  Crown  Prince's  influence  over  Wilhelmina 
was  so  great  that  he  easily  convinced  her  she 
would  be  a  great  fool  to  trust  the  Handsome 
Captain,  and  the  result  was  that  the  princess 
was  very  unhappy. 

Soon  after  the  king  had  spoken  to  the  queen 
about  Fritz  Henry,  his  Majesty  left  the  room, 
and  the  Margrave  of  Schwedt  joined  the  Crown 
Prince  and  the  princess. 

"Your  new  friend,  the  Handsome  Captain, 
has  joined  the  ranks  of  Don't  Care,"  said  Mina, 
laughing,  as  Adolph  approached.  '  *  Her  friends 
do  not  long  remain  our  friends,  so  I  suppose  we 
shall  soon  be  compelled  to  number  him  with  the 
host  of  our  enemies." 

"Why  do  you  say  he  has  joined  the  ranks  of 
Don't  Care?"  asked  the  Crown  Prince,  who 
knew  nothing  of  the  meeting  at  the  fountain. 

"Yes,  why?"  queried  the  Margrave  eagerly. 
"I  believe  he  is  a  true  man,  and  the  first  requi- 
site for  a  true  man  is  to  be  a  true  friend. ' ' 

"He  met  Don't  Care  by  appointment  this 
morning  at  the  new  fountain,  and  she  says  he 
is  dying  for  love  of  her,"  answered  Mina, 
laughing  nervously. 

"Ach,  she  lies!"  cried  the  Margrave  excit- 
edly, mopping  the  perspiration  from  his  broad 


156  A   GENTLE   KNIGHT 

face  with  a  huge  red  handkerchief.  The  Mar- 
grave hated  Don't  Care,  as  nearly  as  his  gentle 
heart  could  hate  any  one,  because  of  her  open 
ridicule  and  contempt.  "That  is — you  know 
— I  mean — I  beg  your  Highness  to  forgive  me 
for  using  the  ugly  word.  I  spoke  in  excite- 
ment, anger,  indignation.  The — the  beautiful 
Princess  Charlotte  is  mistaken.  I  should  not 
have  used  that  ugly  word — not  for  worlds — had 
I  not  been  surprised  and  excited,  too,  yes, — 
excited. ' ' 

The  Margrave  paused  to  regain  his  breath, 
and  continued:  "Listen.  The  captain,  my 
friend,  was  not  to  blame  in  the  matter.  I,  with 
my  own  ears — with  these  ears — heard  the  prin- 
cess, your  sister,  invite,  ask,  and  entreat  the 
captain  to  meet  her  at  the  new  fountain.  Lis- 
ten! I'll  tell  you.  She  followed  him  to  the 
door  and  said  to  him  imploringly — she  said— 
ach  Gott,  she  said — what  did  she  say?  I  almost 
forget  what  she  said!  Ach!  She  said,  'Come' 
— she  said,  'Come  to  the  new  fountain — sure — 
don't  fail'.  It  was  so." 

"But  he  went,"  suggested  "Wilhelmina, 
laughing. 

The  Margrave  gazed  steadily  at  the  princess 
for  a  moment.  * '  Of  course  he  went.  He  could 
not  do  otherwise,"  he  answered,  blinking, 


OF    OLD  BRANDENBURG          157 

stretching  out  his  hands  imploringly,  and 
speaking  under  great  excitement.  Adolph  was 
Henry's  friend,  and  Adolph 's  friendship  was 
of  the  quality  that  does  battle  for  a  friend 
assailed.  "You  see,"  he  continued,  striving  to 
be  calm,  but  almost  out  of  breath  from  excite- 
ment, "you  see,  he  is  a  man,  and  must  go 
when  the  princess  says,  'Come'." 

Notwithstanding  the  Margrave's  effort  to 
calm  himself,  his  excitement  grew  upon  him, 
and  he  danced  about  with  an  agility  little  to  be 
expected  in  a  short  mountain  of  flesh.  "It  is 
this  way,  my  princess,"  he  continued.  "We'll 
say  that  you  are  a  man.  We'll  say  that  I  am  a 
beautiful  woman,  and — and— 

Mina  and  the  Crown  Prince  could  not  re- 
strain a  smile. 

"Yes,  yes, — it  is  funny.  I  know  it  is.  If  I 
were  a  woman ! ' '  Adolph  laughed  nervously— 
"Lieber  Himmel!  What  a  sight  I  should  be  if 
I  were  a  woman!  People  would  travel  long 
journeys  and  would  pay  a  mark  to  see  me — two 
marks  for  a  good  seat.  Yes,  yes,  it  is  funny. 
I'll  change  the  metaphor.  If  you  were  a  man 
—we'll  leave  that  stand  as  it  is.  Ach,  if  you 
were  a  man,  my  princess,  no  other  man  would 
have  any  chance  against  you  of  winning  any 
woman.  Then  I  could  take  your  hand — and— 


158  A   GENTLE   KNIGHT 

The  Margrave  reached  out  eagerly  for  the 
hands  of  the  princess,  but  quickly  drew  back 
without  touching  her.  "Pardon,  my  princess. 
My  love  will  not  obey.  This  evening  he  is  a 
foolish  fool." 

"Is  not  love  always  a  foolish  fool?"  asked 
Mina,  smiling. 

"Yes,  princess,  love  is  always  either  a  fool- 
ish fool,  or  the  wisest  fool  on  earth,"  answered 
the  Margrave.  * '  There  is  no  middle  ground  of 
mere  common  sense  for  the  little  rascal,  and  he 
who  lacks  common  sense  is  always  a  fool,  though 
there  are  wise  fools  in  the  world.  Unfortu- 
nately, my  princess,  it  was  the  foolish  fool  love 
that  took  up  his  home  in  my  poor  heart.  But— 
but — to  come  back.  If  your  Highness  were  a 
man  and  the  Crown  Prince  here  were  a  woman, 
and  if  the  woman  should  say  to  you:  "My 
friend,  don't  fail  to  meet  me  at  the  west  foun- 
tain in  the  new  garden — no,  the  new  garden  in 
the  west — ach,  I  am  foolish — at  the  new  foun- 
tain in  the  west  garden,  what  would  the  woman 
mean?" 

"What  would  she  mean?"  asked  the  princess, 
smiling. 

"Love — foolish  love.  You,  being  a  man, 
could  not  turn  away  your  face  as  a  woman 
may,  and  feigning  modesty  when  you  feel  dis- 


159 

gust,  say,  with  downcast  eyes :  '  Oh,  I  may  not. 
I  fear — I  fear  my  hard,  cruel  father  would  be 
angry.  Oh,  I  dare  not.'  No.  You  could  make 
no  excuse — two  penalties  a  man  must  pay  for 
being  a  man.  He  must  forego  the  love  he  wants 
but  cannot  have,  and  may  not  refuse  that  which 
he  does  not  want,  but  still  must  take.  Then, 
too,  he  must  endure  in  silence  the  little  lies  a 
woman  sometimes  tells  about  him.  He  cannot 
say:  'It  is  not  so'  when  she  says  that  he  is 
desperate  for  love  of  her.  Woman  has  her 
burdens,  but  a  man  of  fine  honor  also  has 
burdens  that  are  none  the  lighter  because  he 
may,  if  he  wishes,  throw  them  off.  He  will 
often  carry  a  heavy  burden  rather  than  explain 
at  a  woman's  expense." 

The  Crown  Prince  showed  signs  of  annoy- 
ance, but  Adolph  must  finish  his  speech. 

"If  Captain  Henry  met  the  princess,  he  did 
so  because  he  had  no  alternative.  God  has 
given  me  but  few  talents — very  few — but  every 
day  I  am  thankful  that  He  has  given  me  to 
know  a  true  man  when  I  see  him,  and  to  trust  a 
true  friend  when  I  have  one.  Captain  Henry 
is  both.  I  have  said — much." 

Neither  the  prince  nor  the  princess  responded 
at  once  to  Adolph 's  long  speech,  but  after  a 
moment's  silence,  the  prince  said: 


160  A   GENTLE   KNIGHT 

1  'My  dear  Margrave,  what  you  have  said  is 
very  interesting,  but  pray  leave  me  with  my 
sister,  that  we  may  have  a  few  words  together. 
It  is  a  privilege  we  seldom  enjoy." 

The  Margrave  at  once  withdrew,  greatly 
humiliated,  not  by  the  prince's  words,  but  be- 
cause he,  Adolph  the  Shrewd,  had  not  earlier 
caught  the  signals  of  dismissal. 

When  Adolph  left,  Fritz  said  hurriedly:  ",I 
am  glad  you  told  me  about  our  new  friend's 
meeting  with  Don't  Care.  Stumpy 's  great 
favor  made  me  suspicious,  and  now  this  inti- 
macy with  Don't  Care  convinces  me  that  the 
fellow  is  not  to  be  trusted.  I'm  sorry  to  be 
forced  to  the  belief,  for  I  have  formed  a  plan 
of  escape  from  this  Prussian  hell,  and  intended 
taking  the  new  captain  into  my  confidence.  I 
hoped  to  have  his  help,  but  now— 

" Don't  try  to  run  away,"  pleaded  Wilhel- 
mina,  almost  wailing  out  her  words.  "If  you 
go,  I  shall  be  entirely  alone.  You  are  my  only 
comfort,  my  only  joy.  Pray  do  not  leave  me. 
If  you  go,  I  shall  die. ' ' 

"That  is  a  selfish  request,  Mina,"  answered 
the  Crown  Prince,  petulantly.  * '  You,  of  course, 
are  bound  hand  and  foot  here.  It  is  impossible 
for  you  to  escape  unless  you  go  as  the  wife  of 
one  of  the  bestial  creatures  old  Stumpy  has 


OF   OLD  BRANDENBURG          161 

chosen  for  you.  But  if  you  were  generous,  you 
would  not  wish  me  to  suffer  just  because  you 
can  escape.  You  are  always  thinking  only  of 
yourself.  Every  one  is — no  one  gives  a  gener- 
ous thought  to  me." 

"I  know,  brother,  it  was  selfish  to  want  you 
to  remain  for  my  sake,  but  that  was  not  the  real 
reason  for  my  protest.  You  cannot  escape — 
it  is  impossible — and  if  you  try  and  fail — if  the 
king  takes  you — I  fear,  oh !  I  fear  he  will  be  the 
last  man  in  the  kingdom  to  save  you  from  death. 
You  will  be  hanged  as  a  deserter.  Father  and 
Grumkow  will  call  it  treason.  Ah,  brother,  let 
us  cling  to  the  ills  we  have,  and  God  will  bring 
us  help  in  His  own  good  time." 

"I've  already  waited  too  long  for  the  help 
that  God  is  going  to  bring,"  answered  the 
prince,  sullenly.  "Nothing  that  you  can  say 
will  alter  my  determination.  I  am  going  to  run 
away.  If  I  am  caught  and  hanged,  so  much  the 
better.  I  don't  want  to  live.  Stumpy  told  me 
only  the  other  day — he  is  always  telling  me — 
that  if  I  had  a  spark  of  manhood  in  me,  I  would 
not  endure  the  abuse  he  puts  upon  me.  He's 
right.  The  queen,  too,  says  I  am  a  fool  for  not 
running  away.  She  advises  me  to  go  to  Eng- 
land, where  King  George  would  be  only  too 
glad  to  receive  me.  All  my  friends  but  you  ad- 
11 


162  A   GENTLE    KNIGHT 

vise  me  to  make  my  escape,  and  I'm  going  to 
do  it.  I  tell  you,  Mina,  I'm  going.  A  few  days 
more  and  I'll  be  out  of  this  purgatory  unless 
my  damnable  luck  clings  to  me.  I  wish  I  could 
trust  this  new  captain.  I  need  him  and  could 
use  him,  for,  as  the  king  says,  he  fears  nothing. 
A  brave,  calm,  daring  man,  such  as  this  fellow 
is,  would  be  just  the  companion  I  need." 

After  the  Margrave's  abrupt  dismissal,  the 
prince  and  his  sister  went  to  the  anteroom 
through  which  the  queen's  parlor  was  reached 
from  the  long  hall,  and  closed  the  door  after 
them.  The  king  had  left  a  few  minutes  before 
and  was  not  expected  to  return,  but  with  Fred- 
erick William  the  unexpected  was  always  to  be 
looked  for. 

Presently  the  conversation  between  the  prince 
and  the  princess  was  brought  to  an  abrupt 
end  by  sounds  of  a  well-known  halting  foot- 
step and  echoes  of  a  thumping  cane  coming 
down  the  corridor.  The  king  was  returning, 
evidently  in  great  fury,  for  his  breathing  could 
be  heard  even  above  the  noise  of  his  footstep 
and  cane. 

Mina  hurriedly  returned  to  the  queen's  par- 
lor just  before  the  king  entered  the  anteroom 
by  the  outer  door.  When  the  king  saw  the 
prince,  the  ire  of  Prussian  Majesty  began, 


OF    OLD  BRANDENBURG          163 

as   usual,   to   make   itself  furiously  manifest. 

"What  are  you  doing  here,  you — you  ras- 
cal ? ' '  demanded  the  king. 

"I  am  standing  here,"  answered  Fritz. 

*  *  Ah,  you  would  be  impertinent,  would  you  ? ' ' 
cried  the  irate  father,  lifting  his  stick.  "You 
would  answer  me  insolently?  If  I  were  to  do 
my  duty  as  a  father,  I'd  lay  this  stick  across 
your  back.  What  are  you  doing  here?  An- 
swer civilly  or  I  '11 — I  '11  beat  you. ' ' 

"I  was  about  to  enter  the  queen's  parlor," 
answered  Fritz,  "but  hearing  your  Majesty's 
approach,  I  waited  till  you  should  go  first." 

"Ach!  Fine  humility!  Beautiful  meek- 
ness! If  you  had  the  spirit  of  a  man,  you 
would  resent  my  treatment  of  you.  The  new 
captain  answers  me  sharply  and  speaks  his 
mind.  He  is  not  afraid  of  me.  He  resents  an 
insult  or  an  imputation  even  from  me.  Yes,  and 
quickly,  too.  'Tis  a  sure  indication  of  honesty. 
There's  no  resentment,  no  courage,  no  pride  in 
you.  I  would  to  God  that  you  were  a  girl  and 
that  your  sister  Don't  Care  were  you.  If  my 
father  had  treated  me  as  I  treat  you,  I  should 
have  run  away,  or — or  have  killed  myself.  I 
should  not  have  endured  it.  Come  with  me,  you 
rascal,  while  I  speak  to  your  mother.  I  want 
you  to  go  to  The  Tabagie  with  me.  There'll  be 


164  A    GENTLE    KNIGHT 

something  for  you  to  hear  at  The  Tabagie 
to-night — something  to  hear.  Yes,  by  the  devil, 
to  hear ! ' ' 

The  king  entered  the  queen's  parlor  and  the 
prince  followed,  making  an  effort  to  smother 
his  anger. 

The  king  and  Fritz  found  the  queen,  the  two 
princesses,  Sonnsfeld  and  Bamen  busily  en- 
gaged with  their  needle-work.  All  rose  when 
the  king  entered.  After  his  Majesty  had 
spoken,  the  queen  resumed  her  seat  and  he  took 
a  chair  beside  her.  All  others,  of  course, 
remained  standing. 

The  king  was  in  a  furious  mood,  and  soon 
began  to  express  himself  on  the  subject  of 
household  expenses.  His  Majesty  economized 
in  all  things  to  save  money  for  the  maintenance 
of  his  army,  and  thus  laid  the  foundation  of 
the  Prussian  empire.  Turning  to  the  queen, 
he  said: 

"You  all  eat  like  gluttons.  Gluttony  is  a  sin 
of  the  flesh.  You  not  only  sin  against  God,  but 
you  drain  my  treasury  and  waste  money  that  is 
needed  for  the  nation's  defense." 

"Draining  your  treasury,  I  take  it,  is  a  much 
greater  sin  in  your  eyes  than  the  offense  against 
God,"  spoke  up  intrepid  little  Don't  Care, 
impatiently  tapping  the  floor  with  her  foot. 


OF   OLD  BRANDENBURG          165 

The  king  continued,  without  noticing  the  in- 
terruption :  "  You're  all  gluttons,  I  tell  you,  and 
you'll  ruin  me  and  spoil  your  health  if  you  keep 
it  up." 

"If  our  health  is  ruined,  it  will  be  by  starva- 
tion, not  by  over-feeding,"  said  Don't  Care, 
again  interrupting  her  father.  "We  had  noth- 
ing for  dinner  to-day  but  cabbage  and  carrots, 
and  not  enough  of  those.  After  you  had  helped 
yourself  to  the  carrots,  you  threw  the  dish  at 
Fritz,  leaving  only  boiled  cabbage  for  the  rest 
of  us.  I  have  no  fear  of  taking  gout  from  eat- 
ing too  much  cabbage,  neither  have  I  fear  of 
offending  God  on  the  score  of  gluttony  at  your 
table.  Leviticus  contains  not  one  word  against 
eating  too  much  cabbage." 

The  king  tried  to  speak,  but  his  daughter  had 
the  floor  and  kept  it.  "There  is  not  a  decent 
burgher  in  Berlin  that  did  not  have  a  better 
dinner  on  his  table  than  we  had  to-day.  Ruin 
you?  Drain  your  treasury?  You  are  starving 
your  wife  and  children — starving  them  just 
because  you  hate  to  see  them  eat,  and  because 
you  are  so  miserly  that  you  begrudge  them  even 
a  poor  mouthful  of  cabbage.  When  I  am  hun- 
gry I  go  out  and  get  my  dinner  at  an  inn,  and 
tell  the  keeper  to  collect  the  charges  from  you. 
You  pay  them,  too,  for  you  brought  me  into  this 


166  A   GENTLE   KNIGHT 

world,  and  you  know  you're  bound  to  feed  me. 
I'll  not  starve,  I'll  give  you  that  to  understand. 
You  may  starve  the  others,  if  they'll  let  you, 
but  I'll  find  enough  to  eat,  and  you'll  pay  the 
bill." 

"I'll  beat  you  if  you  don't  keep  still!" 
shouted  the  king. 

"I  don't  care  if  you  do,"  answered  Don't 
Care,  stepping  up  to  her  father  defiantly.  "I 
don't  care,  don't  care,  don't  care!  Beat  me, 
if  you  wish,  but  you  can't  silence  me  unless  you 
cut  my  tongue  'out,  and  then  I'll  scream  like  a 
deaf  mute." 

Helpless  Majesty  mumbled  a  few  words 
under  his  breath,  became  silent,  and  Don't  Care 
walked  away  in  triumph. 

The  Margrave  had  left  the  room,  but  returned 
presently  with  Fritz  Henry  and  at  once  sought 
Wilhelmina.  Henry  wished  to  speak  to  her, 
but  felt  that  the  queen  was  watching  him ;  so  he 
stopped  beside  Don't  Care. 

"You're  a  coward,"  said  the  little  princess. 
"  'He  who  fears' — you  know  the  rest." 

"I  freely  confess  that  I  am  a  coward," 
answered  Henry,  laughing.  "A  man  who  is 
not  a  fool  will  not  allow  himself  to  begin  to 
yearn  for  what  he  can  never  have.  The  fox 
that  convinced  himself  the  grapes  were  sour 


I'll  beat  you  if  you  don't  keep  still!"  shouted  the  king 


OF    OLD   BRANDENBURG          167 

set  an  example  that  all  wise  men  should  fol- 
low. Had  the  fox  encouraged  his  belief  that 
the  grapes  were  sweet,  he  might  have  gone 
through  life  with  a  heartache — yearning  for 
them." 

Don't  Care  shrugged  her  white  shoulders, 
smiled  till  her  little  teeth  gleamed  between  her 
red  lips,  and  said: 

"Oh,  foolish  fox!  Why  did  he  not  jump?" 
She  jumped  very  gracefully  to  show  how  it 
should  be  done. 

"Doubtless  he  knew  his  limitations,  and  knew 
how  high  he  could  jump,  or  rather  how  high  he 
could  not  jump,"  suggested  Henry. 

"If  he  had  tried  with  all  his  might  to  jump, 
and  had  been  unable  to  reach  the  vine,  it  might 
have  bent  down  to  him.  Who  knows?"  said 
Don't  Care,  bending  as  the  vine  might  bend, 
glancing  demurely  up  to  Henry's  face,  and  then 
quickly  looking  toward  the  floor  as  if  in  a  vio- 
lent fit  of  modesty.  Modesty  and  Don't  Care 
were  total  strangers. 

"The  vine  cannot  bend,  and  the  fox  that 
hopes  for  it  will  hope  in  vain.  It  is  a  cruel  vine 
that  will  hold  out  the  vain  hope,"  said  Henry, 
with  apparent  regret. 

"But  if  the  vine  wishes  very  much  for  the 
fox  to  have  its  grapes?"  asked  the  dimpling 


168  A   GENTLE   KNIGHT 

princess,  with  quick-coming  breath  and  glowing 
eyes. 

"In  that  case,  both  are  in  danger,  and  there 
is  but  one  course  left  for  the  fox." 

"What  is  that?"  asked  Don't  Care. 

"He  must  run  away,"  replied  Henry,  "and 
that  is  what  I  shall  do." 

The  princess  laughed.  Henry  bowed  and 
went  to  where  the  Crown  Prince,  "Wilhelmina 
and  the  Margrave  were  standing  at  the  opposite 
side  of  the  room.  The  prince  took  no  notice  of 
Henry,  but  the  princess  bowed. 

"I  hear  you  are  to  be  at  The  Tabagie  this 
evening,"  said  the  Margrave. 

"Yes,  I  am  to  have  that  honor,  and — and  that 
pleasure,"  answered  Henry. 

"Are  you  so  great  a  beer  drinker,"  asked 
the  princess,  "that  you  can  confront  the  honor 
of  The  Tabagie  with  confidence  and  pleasure  ? ' ' 

"I  do  not  like  beer,"  answered  Henry, 
"and  I  shall  face  the  ordeal  with  fear  and 
trembling." 

"You  shall  sit  by  me  and  I  will  drink  your 
beer,"  said  Adolph.  "That  arrangement  will 
work  a  double  good.  I  shall  have  the  beer  and 
you  will  have  the  credit  of  drinking  it." 

"I  thank  you,  Margrave,"  returned  Henry. 
* '  The  beer  drinking  would  have  inclined  me  to 


OF   OLD  BRANDENBURG          169 

evade  the  honor  had  I  not  feared  to  offend  his 
Majesty.  Just  at  this  time  I  value  the  king's 
favor  because  I  hope  that  I  may  be  able  to  use 
it  to  benefit  my  friends." 

"And  incidentally,  yourself,"  interrupted 
the  Crown  Prince,  with  a  sneering  smile. 

Henry  was  startled,  but  did  not  at  once  reply, 
hoping  that  the  prince  would  say  something  to 
soften  his  too  evident  meaning.  But  the  Crown 
Prince  remained  silent,  and  after  a  long,  awk- 
ward pause,  Henry  answered: 

"Perhaps  if  your  Highness  knew  more  about 
the  real  situation,  you  would  understand  that 
the  King  of  Prussia  has  nothing  to  give  that  I 
covet.  I  have  nothing  to  gain  by  his  favor  and 
nothing  to  lose  by  his  frown,  save  the  power  to 
help  those  who,  I  have  hoped,  would  give  me 
their  faith." 

The  little  prince  tossed  his  head  disdainfully 
and  walked  away.  The  Margrave,  evidently 
much  disturbed,  followed  him,  leaving  Fritz 
Henry  alone  with  Wilhelmina. 

"Forgive  my  brother,"  said  the  princess. 
"He  has  been  betrayed  so  often  by  false  friends 
that  he  suspects  every  one  who  receives  the 
king's  favor." 

"I  care  very  little  what  the  prince  thinks 
or  feels,"  returned  Henry,  "so  long  as  I  am 


170  A   GENTLE   KNIGHT 

sure  of  iiis  sister's  confidence.  I  hope  that  yon 
will  tell  me  frankly  when  I  lose  it,  for  on  that 
day  I  shall  leave  Berlin,  never  to  return.  You 
see,  if  you  distrust  me  or  fear  me,  you  may 
easily  rid  yourself  of  me.  I  implore  your 
Highness  to  pardon  me  for  speaking  so  plainly, 
and  for  saying  what  I  am  about  to  say,  but  I 
speak  with  full  knowledge  that  all  the  reward 
I  can  ever  receive  for  any  good  that  I  may 
bring  to  you,  or  for  any  evil  that  I  may  be  able 
to  avert,  is  your  faith  in  me.  It  is  all  I  ask- 
all  I  expect.  I  have  just  told  you  that  the  king 
has  no  favor  to  grant  that  I  would  accept  other 
than  the  privilege  of  living  in  the  palace  near 
you.  I  should  be  glad  to  give  all  I  have — my 
life — almost  my  soul  to  bring  happiness  to  you, 
and  to  avert  the  frightful  evils  that  threaten 
you.  I  would  gladly— 

"Don't,  don't!  Please  do  not  speak  to  me 
in  that  way,"  pleaded  the  princess,  greatly 
moved.  "I  beg  of  you  not  to  speak — not  to— 
I  do  trust  you,  indeed  I  do.  I  care  not  what 
my  brother  may  say,  nor  what  may  happen  to 
make  you  seem  untrue  to  us,  I  shall  still  believe 
in  you.  Even  though  appearances  may  be 
against  you,  I  shall  hold  fast  to  my  faith  in 
you,  and  will  try  to  keep  my  brother's  confi- 
dence unshaken.  He  is  of  a  suspicious  nature, 


OF   OLD  BRANDENBURG         171 

and — and  thought  he  had  reason  to  suspect 
you. ' ' 

"May  I  ask  what  I  have  done  to  cause  him 
to  doubt  me?"  asked  Henry. 

"I  don't  like  to  say,"  answered  the  princess. 

"I  do  not  urge  you  to  speak,  but  if  I  do  not 
know  my  fault,  I  may  commit  it  again,"  said 
Henry,  plainly  showing  his  eagerness. 

By  an  effort  that  was  very  apparent,  Wilhel- 
mina  forced  herself  to  speak:  "It  is  hard  for 
my  brother  and  me  to  believe  that  a  friend  to 
the  king  can  be  a  friend  to  us,  but  it  is  harder 
for  us  to  believe  that — that —  I  fear  I  cannot 
tell  you  what  I  was  going  to  say." 

"I  implore  your  Highness  to  tell  me,"  in- 
sisted Henry. 

The  princess  lifted  her  eyes,  but  they  fell  be- 
fore his  gaze,  and  she  continued  haltingly : 

"It  is  harder  for  us  to  believe  that  one  who  is 
my  sister's  friend  can  long  be  ours.  Oh,  it  is 
hard  for  me  to  say  that  to — to  you,  who  are 
almost  a  stranger.  I  love  my  sister,  but  she 
does  not  love  my  brother  and  me." 

Tears  were  hanging  in  Mina's  eyes,  and  her 
voice  was  almost  choked  by  emotion.  Henry 
remained  silent  to  give  the  princess  a  moment 
in  which  to  recover  her  self-possession,  then 
turned  to  her  and  asked : 


172  A   GENTLE    KNIGHT 

"Why  do  you  and  the  Crown  Prince  believe 
I  am  your  sister's  friend?" 

"Pray  do  not  ask  me  to  explain,"  returned 
Mina,  speaking  in  low  tones  and  looking  toward 
the  floor. 

"I  shall  not,"  returned  Henry.  "I  feel  sure 
that  the  Crown  Prince  has  based  his  conclusion 
on  the  fact  that  I  met  the  princess,  your  sister, 
this  morning  at  the  new  fountain.  I  cannot 
explain  why  or  how  the  meeting  came  about, 
but — "  Henry  paused,  turned  quickly  toward 
Wilhelmina,  then  spoke  with  a  touch  of  anger 
and  a  note  of  command  in  Ms  voice :  ' '  But  I  am 
going  to  speak  what  is  in  my  heart,  although 
one  minute  ago  I  had  not  supposed  it  possible 
that  I  should  ever  utter  it.  What  I  am  about 
to  say  will  explain  all  that  has  happened,  and 
will  be  the  key  to  all  that  may  hereafter  hap- 
pen. I  love  you,  and  my  life  is  at  your  service." 

The  princess  turned  to  leave  Henry,  but  he 
checked  her  in  a  tone  that  was  almost  a  com- 
mand: 

"You  shall  hear  all  I  have  to  say,  and  when  I 
have  finished,  I  shall,  if  you  wish,  leave  Berlin 
forever.  Turn  your  face  slightly  from  me  and 
look  up;  I  fear  the  queen  is  watching  you. 
I  did  not  intend  to  say  what  I  have  just  said, 
but  it  is  out,  and  now  I  must  leave  no  shadow 


OF   OLD  BBANDENBURG          173 

of  doubt  in  your  mind  that  I  spoke  the  truth. 
I  do  not  ask  to  touch  your  hand.  I  do  not  ask 
even  one  word  from  your  lips.  I  ask  nothing 
in  return  for  my  love  save  that  you  believe — 
save  that  you  know — it  to  be  true.  I  shall  never 
again  speak  of  my  love  unless — unless  by  your 
command,  and  for  that  I  do  not  even  hope. ' ' 

"No,  no,"  whispered  the  girl,  almost  inau- 
dibly. 

"You  need  not  assure  me  of  that,"  returned 
Henry.  ' '  I  beg  you  to  believe  that  I  know  my 
love  is  hopeless,  but  I  also  beg  you  to  believe 
that  it  will  last  to  the  end  of  my  life.  That 
which  has  come  upon  me  so  suddenly  must  be 
of  tremendous  force  to  induce  me  to  remain  in 
Berlin  without  hope  of  reward,  and  to  say  to 
you  what  I  have  just  said.  It  has  taken  entire 
possession  of  me.  It  is  beyond  my  control,  and 
I  do  not  seem  to  be  myself.  I  hope  that  through 
all  your  life  you  will  know  that  I  speak  the 
truth." 

An  awkward  pause  ensued,  lasting  so  long 
that  Henry  was  beginning  to  fear  he  had 
offended  the  princess  and  that  he  must  leave 
her,  and  take  his  departure  from  Berlin  at  the 
earliest  opportunity.  But  when,  by  chance, 
she  turned  her  face  toward  him  and  looked 
into  his  eyes,  an  impulse  seized  her  which 


174  A   GENTLE    KNIGHT 

she  could  not  resist,  and  against  her  will,  she 
said  in  a  low  whisper:  "I  do  know.  Whatever 
happens,  I  shall  always  know.  I  never  shall 
doubt — never  again." 

If  at  that  moment  the  queen  had  been  watch- 
ing the  princess,  her  Majesty  could  not  have 
failed  to  read  what  was  in  the  girl's  heart. 

Henry  and  the  princess  stood  for  several 
minutes  in  silence. 

Presently  she  took  her  handkerchief  from 
a  pouch  in  her  flowing  sleeve.  Henry  saw  that 
tears  were  coming,  so  he  nodded  to  the  Mar- 
grave of  Schwedt,  and  that  worthy  friend 
approached. 

"When  does  The  Tabagie  convene?"  asked 
Henry. 

"We  must  follow  the  king  when  he  leaves," 
answered  Adolph. 

Hardly  had  the  Margrave  spoken  when  the 
king  started  to  leave  the  room,  marching  with 
uplifted  cane  and  thunderous  rumblings  as  he 
drove  the  Crown  Prince  before  him. 

Adolph  laughed  as  he  watched  the  king  and 
Fritz  leaving  the  room,  but  Henry,  seeing  tears 
in  Wilhelmina's  eyes,  longed  to  strangle  Prus- 
sian Majesty,  and  to  make  an  end  of  it  all  then 
and  there. 

"To  The  Tabagie!"  cried  Adolph,  lifting  his 


OF   OLD  BRANDENBURG          175 

clenched  hand  on  high  and  marching  after  the 
king. 

Fritz  Henry,  left  alone  for  a  moment  with 
the  princess,  said:  "Forgive  me  if  my  words 
have  added  to  your  unhappiness. " 

"I — I  am  sorry — very  sorry  to  say  that  they 
have  not, ' '  answered  Mina,  blushing  beautifully, 
and  making  a  careful  study  of  the  floor,  "and 
I  am  sorrier  to  have  told  you  so.  But — but  you 
know  how  easy  it  is  to  say  the  thing  one  does 
not  intend  to  say." 

"It  is  with  speech  as  with  all  else.  We  do 
and  say  the  things  we  must,  and  for  my  part, 
I  am  glad  that  I  spoke,"  answered  Henry. 

"And  I,  too,  am  glad,"  she  answered,  as  he 
took  his  leave. 


CHAPTEE  XI 

THE  MARGRAVE'S  BLESSED  LIE 

WHEN  Henry  and  the  Margrave  entered  The 
Tabagie,  they  found  the  king  in  earnest  con- 
sultation with  Baron  Grumkow  and  Field 
Marshal  Seckendorf,  standing  apart  from  the 
other  members  of  the  Parliament.  The  Crown 
Prince  stood  alone  near  the  king's  end  of 
the  table.  The  Tabagians  were  scattered  in 
groups  about  the  room,  and  every  one  but  the 
little  prince  was  talking. 

The  kindly  Margrave  at  once  went  to  him, 
but  received  a  sullen  response  to  his  greeting. 
Fritz  Henry  had  stopped  near  by,  hoping  that 
the  little  fellow  would  make  some  kindly  sign 
of  recognition.  But  when  the  Crown  Prince 
caught  Henry's  eyes,  he  turned  away  with 
a  well-defined  sneer  on  his  face.  Henry's 
sympathy  was  so  great,  and  his  sorrow  for 
the  boy's  unhappy  lot  was  so  keen,  that  the 
Crown  Prince's  contempt  aroused  only  a  feel- 
ing of  pity.  The  unfortunate  young  fellow  en- 
joyed the  high  privilege  of  being  the  brother  of 
the  girl  to  whom  Fritz  Henry  had  just  spoken 
his  love,  and  from  whom  he  had  received  an 

176 


OF   OLD   BRANDENBURG          177 

answer  that  was  as  near  an  admission  of  love 
as  the  princess  could  give.  All  these  consider- 
ations made  it  easy  for  Henry  to  overlook  the 
prince's  frowns  and  to  render  him  a  great 
service  later  in  the  evening. 

Notwithstanding  Adolph's  persistent  kind- 
ness, the  Crown  Prince  ignored  his  advances. 
With  no  effort  to  conceal  his  contempt  and  ill 
temper,  he  moved  two  or  three  steps  away, 
where  he  stood,  scowling  on  all  about  him.  The 
gentle  Margrave,  feeling  only  pity  for  the 
Crown  Prince,  smiled  broadly  when  his  ad- 
vances were  repulsed,  returned  to  Henry, 
shrugged  his  shoulders  and  said : 

' '  What  does  it  matter  ?  Is  he  not  the  brother 
of  the  princess?" 

The  Margrave  soon  had  an  opportunity  to 
"heap  coals  of  fire"  on  the  prince's  head,  and 
like  a  man,  he  did  it. 

"Did  you  see  him  run  from  me?"  asked  the 
Margrave,  looking  up  at  Henry's  face. 

"Yes,"  answered  Henry,  smiling,  "and  did 
you  see  him  turn  his  face  from  me  when  I  was 
about  to  speak?  I  am  sorry  for  the  boy,  and 
am  sure  that  if  I  were  in  his  place,  my  temper 
would  be  worse  than  his." 

"Do  you  know,"  said  the  Margrave,  "it  is 
generous  in  you  to  feel  as  you  do  toward  the 

12 


178  A   GENTLE   KNIGHT 

Crown  Prince,  who  owes  you  so  much  and  treats 
you  so  unkindly.  It  is  easier  for  me  to  for- 
give him  than  it  is  for  you  to  overlook  his 
faults.  He  is  Wilhelmina's  brother  and  I  love 
her.  You  don't.  I  tell  you,  my  friend,  if  you 
loved  the  princess,  you  would  love  every  one 
with  her  blood  in  his  veins.  You  would  love 
old  Stumpy.  There  would  be  times  when— 
lieber  Himmel,  yes — when  you  would  want  to 
kiss  him." 

"No,  no,"  cried  Henry,  laughing. 

"Perhaps  not,"  returned  the  Margrave, 
seriously.  "But  I  could — I  could  kiss  any- 
thing. When  a  man  is  in  love,  don't  you  know, 
if  he  doesn't  watch  himself,  why  he  loves — he 
loves  the  very  devil  himself.  You  don't  know 
how  wonderfully  love  softens  the  heart." 

Henry  thought  he  knew,  but  he  did  not  en- 
lighten the  Margrave.  He  turned  the  subject 
of  discussion  back  to  the  prince. 

"I  am  very  sorry  for  him,"  said  Henry. 
"Nothing  that  he  could  do  would  arouse  my 
resentment.  He  is  barely  responsible  for  his 
acts.  His  troubles,  I  know,  would  unbalance 
my  mind." 

Suddenly  the  Margrave  evinced  signs  of  ex- 
citement, tinged  with  alarm. 

"The  king  is  going  to  take  his  seat,"  he 


OF   OLD   BRANDENBURG          179 

cried.  "Let  us  get  chairs.  I  had  to  stand  dur- 
ing the  last  Tabagie  I  attended.  I  have  the 
very  worst  feet  in  all  Germany,  and  I  suppose 
Germany  has  the  worst  feet  in  the  world.  Mine 
don't  seem  to  have  been  made  to  walk  on,  but 
to  hold  me  down  and  to  ache." 

The  Margrave  seized  a  chair,  and  Henry  got 
one  beside  it  When  the  king  was  seated, 
Henry  slipped  quickly  into  his  chair,  but  two 
men  tried  to  appr opiate  the  Margrave's,  not- 
withstanding that  worthy  potentate's  desperate 
effort  to  cling  to  it.  One  enterprising  Tabagian 
with  cuckoo  tendencies  went  so  far  as  to  crowd 
in  front  of  Adolph  and  was  about  to  sit  in  his 
chair,  when  he  drew  it  back  from  the  table, 
and  the  intruder  sat  on  the  floor.  After  his 
enemy's  fall,  Adolph  hurriedly  occupied  the 
chair.  The  fallen  member  rose  to  his  feet,  re- 
mained standing  for  a  moment  at  the  table, 
glared  fiercely  at  the  Margrave,  then  stepped 
back  to  the  wall,  where  he  stood  in  wrath  among 
the  unseated.  The  Margrave  drew  his  chair 
to  the  table  beside  Fritz  Henry,  saying: 

1 1  Now,  I  '11  drink  your  beer.  I  may  get  very 
drunk,  but  I'll  do  you  this  favor  if  I  die  for  it." 

"You're  always  ready  to  do  any  one  a  favor, 
Margrave,"  responded  Henry.  "Your  heart 
is  as  kind  as  vour  head  is  wise." 


180  A   GENTLE   KNIGHT 

"I  thank  you,  my  friend,"  said  Adolph, 
seizing  Henry's  hand  and  giving  it  a  friendly 
squeeze  under  the  table.  * '  Do  you  know,  that  is 
the  first  disinterested  bit  of  flattery  I  have  ever 
had  from  any  one  except  my  mother  and  the 
princess."  Adolph 's  great  face  shone  with  the 
luster  of  joy,  and  one  of  the  gentlest,  tenderest 
hearts  in  all  the  world  was  overflowing. 

Henry  was  rapidly  learning  to  love  the  Mar- 
grave, though  the  good  fellow's  grotesque  face 
and  figure,  his  eccentricities  of  manner  and 
his  propensity  to  drink  beer  all  militated 
against  respect,  making  Adorph  more  to  be 
laughed  at  than  revered. 

Henry  was  about  to  answer  when  the  king's 
cane  came  down  on  the  table  with  a  terrific  bang, 
and  all  general  conversation  ceased  until  his 
Majesty  should  see  fit  to  set  it  going.  Until 
the  Tabagians  had  become  drunk,  conversation 
was  directed  to  and  by  the  king,  but  when 
the  honorable  body  had  swallowed  a  sufficient 
amount  of  beer  to  loosen  its  tongues,  pande- 
monium set  it,  and  every  man  talked  until 
he  was  hoarse,  or  until  he  could  talk  no 
more.  Members  often  slept  the  night  through 
in  their  chairs  or  under  the  table,  and  the 
king  frequently  required  help  in  going  to  his 
apartments. 


OF   OLD   BRANDENBURG          181 

When  his  Majesty  began  to  smoke,  pipes  and 
tobacco  came  down  the  line,  and  for  a  quarter 
of  an  hour  the  Tabagians  puffed  in  silence  as  if 
they  were  trying  to  get  up  steam.  The  Crown 
Prince  sat  at  his  father's  left,  sullenly  doing 
his  best  to  smoke  the  intolerably  strong 
tobacco  used  by  the  king  and  his  friends. 
Grumkow  was  on  his  Majesty's  right,  and 
Field  Marshal  Seckendorf  was  next  to  Prince 
Fritz.  The  Margrave  and  Henry  sat  modestly 
at  the  foot  of  the  table,  facing  the  king. 

A  silence,  which  for  some  reason  seemed 
ominous  to  Henry,  accompanied  the  smoking  of 
the  first  pipe.  The  long  whispered  conversa- 
tion that  had  taken  place  between  the  king, 
Grumkow  and  Seckendorf  seemed  in  some 
mysterious  way  to  have  oozed  into  the  stillness, 
and  the  smoke  that  filled  the  room  seemed  to 
float  in  threatening  clouds  laden  with  impend- 
ing trouble.  The  affair  of  the  night  before, 
when  Henry  and  Fritz  were  returning  from 
Ritter's — when  the  Crown  Prince  spoke  of  the 
happiness  that  would  ensue  from  his  father's 
death — constantly  intruded  itself  on  Henry's 
thoughts.  The  whispered  consultation,  the 
ominous  silence,  the  king's  determination 
earlier  in  the  evening  to  have  the  Crown  Prince 
at  The  Tabagie,  all  pointed  to  serious  trouble 


182  A    GENTLE    KNIGHT 

for  the  poor  little  prince.  If  the  trouble  should 
prove  to  be  the  outgrowth  of  the  encounter  on 
the  way  home  from  Bitter's,  Henry  might  be 
involved  in  the  storm  to  come 

The  king  smoked  his  first  pipe,  and  when 
it  was  finished  called  in  thunderous  tones: 
"Tobacco!"  His  pipe  was  refilled,  he  puffed 
violently  for  a  moment,  and  said  in  rasping, 
guttural  tones: 

4 'General  Grumkow  has  a  matter  to  lay  be- 
fore The  Tabagie." 

Grumkow  rose  to  his  feet,  hung  his  head  for 
a  moment  as  if  in  prayer,  and  said  in  slowly 
spoken,  measured  words  that  seemed  to  come 
from  a  heart  of  grief: 

"Your  Majesty  and  gentlemen  of  The 
Tabagie:  It  is  my  painful  duty  to  make  a 
charge  of  treason  against  the  Crown  Prince  of 
Prussia." 

"Stand  up!"  cried  the  king,  addressing  his 
son  and  striking  the  table  with  his  cane.  Fritz 
rose  and  Grumkow  continued: 

"Last  night  his  Eoyal  Highness,  after  spend- 
ing the  evening  in  revel  and  debauch  with  dis- 
reputable associates  in  the  city,  was  returning 
to  the  palace  accompanied  by  an  unknown  man. 
True  and  trusted  agents  of  his  Majesty  followed 
the  two  revelers  and  overheard  the  false  son, 


OF    OLD   BRANDENBURG          183 

the  traitorous  prince,  the  treasonable  soldier 
express  the  wish  that  the  king  were  dead,  and 
utter  a  diabolical  intention  to  kill  his  Majesty. 
He  declared  furthermore  that  our  gracious 
ruler,  who  is  the  wisest  king  in  all  the  world, 
whose  wisdom  has  not  been  equaled  by  any 
king  since  the  days  of  Solomon,  whose  great- 
ness has  not  been  matched  since  Alexander,  was 
mad,  insane  and  irresponsible,  that  he  should 
be  killed,  deposed  and  set  aside,  and  that  he, 
the  said  false  son,  the  traitorous  prince,  should 
occupy  the  throne  of  his  wise,  gentle,  just  and 
merciful  father." 

To  illustrate  his  gentleness,  Majesty  rose  to 
his  feet  and  struck  at  the  Crown  Prince  with 
the  royal  cane.  Little  Fritz  stepped  back, 
avoiding  the  blow,  which  fell  on  the  table.  Had 
it  fallen  on  his  head,  there  might  have  been  no 
need  for  further  parley.  Having  missed  his 
aim,  the  king  mercifully  resumed  his  seat,  glar- 
ing about  him  and  frothing  at  the  mouth.  When 
quiet  was  restored,  Grumkow  proceeded : 

"His  Majesty,  the  most  just  of  men,  would 
be  justified  in  condemning  the  traitorous  prince 
without  a  hearing,  but  the  kindest  and  most 
indulgent  of  fathers,  through  me,  now  offers  his 
son  an  opportunity  to  defend  himself." 

When   Grumkow   sat  down,   the  kindest  of 


184  A   GENTLE   KNIGHT 

fathers  rose,  lifted  Ms  cane  and  started  toward 
the  Crown  Prince.  Grumkow  caught  Majesty 
by  the  arm,  saying: 

"I  implore  your  Majesty,  for  my  sake,  for 
the  sake  of  the  love  I  bear  you,  for  the  sake  of 
your  friends,  for  the  sake  of  your  health,  so 
precious  to  your  loving  people,  calm  yourself, 
calm,  calm,  calm!" 

One  might  have  thought  that  Grumkow  was 
a  neat-herd,  striving  to  quiet  an  angry  bull. 

The  king  allowed  himself  to  be  ''calmed", 
and  instead  of  striking  the  prince,  struck  the 
table,  at  the  same  time  screaming  to  his  son : 

"What  have  you  to  say,  you — you — you  ras- 
cal? What — have — you — you — you  blackguard 
— what  have  you  to  say?" 

"Nothing,"  answered  Fritz. 

After  waiting  to  give  the  prince  time  to 
speak,  Grumkow  rose  and  continued  his 
harangue : 

"It  is  as  I  supposed.  The  Crown  Prince  has 
nothing  to  say — nothing.  I  am  inclined  to  be- 
lieve that  it  is  to  the  prince's  honor  that  he  can 
say  nothing  in  defense  of  his  treasonable,  un- 
natural words,  and  now  his  Majesty  wishes  me 
to  ask  these  assembled  friends  for  their  help, 
their  counsel  and  their  prayers.  Speak  plainly, 
friends,  I  pray  you.  Speak  without  fear.  If  yon 


OF    OLD    BKANDENBURG          185 

have  aught  to  say  in  defense,  in  justification, 
in  palliation  of  the  Crown  Prince's  conduct,  say 
it  freely,  plainly,  truthfully,  as  I  speak.  If  you 
have  aught  to  say  against  him,  speak  with  like 
candor.  Your  king  needs  and  implores  your 
help  in  this  his  hour  of  trouble.  Pray  to  God 
for  light  that  your  advice  may  be  true,  that 
your  words  may  be  words  of  wisdom,  and  that 
your  motives  may  be  inspired  from  on  high." 

Grumkow  again  hung  his  head  as  if  in  prayer, 
and  took  his  seat. 

Before  any  one  else  could  rise,  Fritz  Henry 
was  on  his  feet. 

"At  what  hour  last  night  were  the  words 
imputed  to  his  Highness  supposed  to  have  been 
uttered?"  he  asked. 

No  answer.  Henry  appealed  directly  to  the 
king:  "Will  your  Majesty  tell  me  at  what  hour 
the  Crown  Prince  is  supposed  to  have  uttered 
the  treasonable  words  charged  by  Baron 
Grumkow?" 

The  expression  of  terror  that  had  come  to 
the  prince's  face  gave  place  to  one  of  glad  sur- 
prise and  gratitude.  The  king  nodded  to 
Grumkow,  and  that  worthy  limb  of  Satan  rose, 
addressing  his  Majesty. 

"The  horrid  words,  your  Majesty,  were 
uttered  last  night  between  the  hours  of  nine  and 


186  A   GENTLE    KNIGHT 

ten  o'clock.  The  three  men  who  heard  them  are 
waiting  in  the  anteroom  to  give  their  evidence. 
The  three  worthy  agents  of  your  Majesty  were 
all  grievously  wounded  by  the  Crown  Prince 
and  his  companion.  Perhaps  the  companion 
was  this — this  captain  of  your  Majesty's  Grena- 
diers." Turning  to  Henry,  Grumkow  continued 
sneeringly:  "What  do  you  know  about  the 
charge  against  the  Crown  Prince,  and  what 
have  you  to  say  concerning  it?  Let  your 
remarks  be  brief,  sir,  and  give  place  to  your 
elders." 

"My  remarks  shall  be  brief,  your  Majesty; 
very  brief,"  said  Henry.  "They  will  consist 
of  the  simple  statement  that  the  charge  against 
the  Crown  Prince  is  false — a  lie  from  beginning 
to  end,  manufactured  out  of  whole  cloth  by 
those  who  seek  to  ruin  his  Highness." 

Grumkow  sprang  to  his  feet,  shouting  frantic 
invectives  against  Fritz  Henry,  and  instantly 
a  tremendous  commotion  arose  in  The  Tabagie. 
Grumkow 's  face  was  black  with  rage;  the  little 
minister  was  screaming  at  the  top  of  his  voice, 
calling  down  God's  wrath  upon  Henry's  head. 
The  devoted  tools  of  Grumkow  were  shouting, 
cursing,  clamoring  and  shaking  their  fists  at 
Henry,  who  stood  calmly  at  the  foot  of  the 
table.  After  two  or  three  minutes  of  tremen- 


be 

rt 

,0 


OF    OLD   BRANDENBUEG          187 

dous  uproar,  the  king  brought  his  cane  down 
on  the  table  to  command  silence  and  spoke 
directly  to  Henry: 

"Proceed!  Proceed!  You're  no  fool!  If  you 
say  it  is  a  lie,  you  have  good  reason  for  saying 
so.  Proceed,  and  if  any  man  interrupts  you, 
he  shall  get  my  stick  across  his  head."  Then 
he  sat  down,  mumbling  to  himself:  "He's  not 
afraid  of  the  devil." 

"My  reason,  your  Majesty,  is  this,"  said 
Henry.  "I  was  with  the  Crown  Prince  all  yes- 
terday evening.  I  supped  with  him  at  six 
o'clock,  and— 

" — And  I,  too,  was  with  him,"  cried  the  Mar- 
grave of  Schwedt,  springing  to  his  feet,  climb- 
ing to  his  chair  and  thence  to  the  table.  "My 
friend,  the  brave  captain  here,  and  I  supped 
with  the  Crown  Prince,  and  remained  with  his 
royal  Highness  in  his  room  from  supper  time 
until  near  the  hour  of  nine,  when  we  went  to 
the  queen's  parlor,  where  we  remained  till  the 
hour  of  eleven  o'clock.  Your  Majesty  was 
there  at  nine  o'clock  and  saw  us.  Your  Majesty 
needs  no  other  evidence  than  your  own  memory 
to  clear  the  Crown  Prince  of  this  false  charge. 
My  friend  here  is  right.  Who  makes  the  charge 
against  the  Crown  Prince  lies." 

"I  hope  so,"  said  the  king,  with  a  sigh. 


188  A   GENTLE    KNIGHT 

His  Majesty  rose,  pointed  Ms  cane  toward 
Fritz  Henry,  and  asked:  "Do  you  vouch  for 
the  truth  of  what  the  Margrave  of  Schwedt  has 
just  said?" 

Henry  would  not  convict  the  Margrave  of  a 
lie,  even  though  it  was  a  blessed  one,  so  he 
tried  to  find  a  way  to  confirm  his  statement,  at 
least  in  substance,  without  vouching  for  its 
truth  in  detail.  He  had  determined  to  tell  the 
exact  truth  about  the  visit  to  Bitter's,  the  re- 
turn to  the  palace,  and  the  attack  from  behind 
the  fence.  He  intended  denying  that  the  prince 
had  uttered  the  exact  words  with  which  he  was 
charged.  He  could  have  done  so  truthfully, 
but  he  intended  also  to  lie  unhesitatingly  if  the 
occasion  demanded. 

After  the  Margrave  had  uttered  his  elaborate 
falsehood,  Henry  could  not  tell  the  real  truth 
of  the  situation  without  convicting  Adolph.  To 
do  so  would  fasten  the  charge  more  firmly  on 
the  prince,  and  might  involve  Henry  and  the 
Margrave  in  the  difficulty  The  exact  truth, 
after  all,  was  not  so  much  a  question  of  detail 
as  of  main  fact.  Did  the  prince  speak  the 
treasonable  words  as  charged?  He  did  not. 
All  these  considerations  quickly  passed  through 
Fritz  Henry's  mind,  and  he  answered  the  king: 

"The    Margrave    speaks    the    truth.    The 


OF   OLD   BBANDENBUBG          189 

Crown  Prince  did  not  utter  the  treasonable 
words,  of  which  Baron  Grumkow  accuses  him, 
between  the  hours  of  six  and  eleven  o'clock 
last  night,  unless  he  did  so  in  the  queen's  par- 
lor between  the  hours  of  nine  and  eleven.  Your 
Majesty  was  there  during  that  time  and  must 
have  seen  the  prince.  I  now  declare  that  any 
man  who  asserts  that  the  prince  spoke  the 
words  with  which  he  is  charged,  lies,  and  I  am 
willing  to  make  good  my  words  in  court  or  with 
my  sword." 

"I  thank  God  for  sending  me  a  man  who  is 
not  afraid  to  speak  his  mind  in  plain,  unvar- 
nished words,"  growled  the  king.  "  A  lie  is  a 
lie  wherever  it  is  found,  and  it  ought  to  be 
called  a  lie  Why  mince  the  matter  with  deli- 
cate words?  Plain  words  suit  me;  plain- words 
spoken  plainly.  This  fellow  would  slap  the 
devil  in  the  face.  You  hear,  Grumkow,  what 
he  and  the  Margrave  say.  They  say  it  is  a  lie, 
and  that  the  man  who  asserts  it  lies.  I  remem- 
ber seeing  my  son  in  the  queen's  parlor  before 
nine  o'clock  and  after  ten.  What  have  you  to 
say?" 

Grumkow  rose  and  said  with  deep  humility: 
"I  do  not  make  the  charge  against  the  Crown 
Prince,  your  Majesty.  I  state  only  what  others 
have  told  me.  My  informants  may  be  wrong. 


190  A   GENTLE    KNIGHT 

They  may  have  been  mistaken  when,  in  their 
zeal  for  your  Majesty,  they  supposed  it  was  the 
Crown  Prince  who  uttered  the  treasonable 
words.  Doubtless  they  were  mistaken.  The 
noble  Margrave  of  Schwedt  and — and  his  friend 
must  be  right.  They  could  not  easily  be  wrong. 
Your  Majesty  could  not  possibly  be  wrong,  and 
I  offer  thanks  to  God  that  those  who,  through 
their  zeal  for  your  Majesty,  made  this  charge, 
are  wrong." 

After  a  long  hesitancy  the  king  spoke,  mum- 
bling his  words  to  the  table:  "But  you  would 
have  been  more  thankful  if  the  Margrave  and 
his  friend  had  not  spoken." 

Grumkow's  favor  was  tottering.  It  had 
tottered  many  times  before,  but  he  had  always 
saved  it;  he  would  doubtless  be  able  to  do  so 
again  by  frankly  acknowledging  his  grave 
error,  by  punishing  the  men  who  had  "misled" 
him,  and  by  justifying  his  mistake  on  the 
ground  that  it  grew  out  of  his  great  love  and 
his  tender  solicitude  for  Prussian  Majesty. 

When  Grumkow  sat  down,  the  king  rose  from 
his  chair,  walked  around  the  table  to  where 
Henry  was  standing,  and  embraced  him.  Turn- 
ing, he  paused  for  a  moment,  and  said,  as  if 
speaking  to  himself:  "He's  not  afraid  of  the 
devil!  Ach,  Gott!  Not  afraid  of  the  devil V 


OF    OLD    BRANDENBURG          191 

That  was  the  highest  praise  Frederick  William 
could  bestow  on  any  man. 

Having  delivered  himself  of  these  words, 
Prussian  Majesty  hobbled  back  to  his  chair, 
with  tears  in  his  eyes  and  rumblings  in  his 
throat.  When,  after  a  great  effort  and  a  deal 
of  growling,  Majesty  was  again  seated,  he 
beckoned  the  Crown  Prince  to  the  chair  on  his 
left,  struck  the  table  a  blow  with  his  cane,  and 
cried  in  thunderous  tones:  "Beer!" 

The  Crown  Prince  was  very  happy  when  he  re- 
sumed his  seat  beside  his  father,  and  he  drank 
the  sour  beer  as  if  he  liked  it,  though  the  greater 
part  of  each  stein  went  under  the  table.  Beer 
soon  clarified  the  atmosphere,  but  The  Tabagie 
adjourned  early  that  evening,  and  the  Margrave 
and  Henry  went  to  their  rooms  in  the  attic. 

The  Margrave  stopped  at  Henry's  room,  sat 
on  the  bed  for  a  moment  in  silent  meditation, 
and  then  began  to  laugh  softly. 

"Ach,  Gott,  what  a  noise  it  made,  and  what 
a  lie  it  was — large  and  black !  What  a  lie  was 
that  we  told!" 

Henry  was  inclined  to  laugh  at  the  Mar- 
grave's use  of  the  word  "we",  for  the  lie  was 
Adolph's  sole  and  separate  property,  though 
Henry  had  in  a  way  adopted  it  by  confirmation. 


192  A   GENTLE    KNIGHT 

"The  Crown  Prince  and  I  were  at  Bitter's 
last  night,"  said  Henry. 

"Der  Teufel!"  exclaimed  Adolph.  "Then 
Grumkow  told  the  truth!" 

*  *  No,  he  did  not, ' '  said  Henry,  * '  for  the  Crown 
Prince  did  not  use  the  language  charged  by 
Grumkow.     But  we  did  visit  Bitter's  yesterday 
evening  and  were  attacked  on  the  way  home. 
If  we  wish  to  avoid  trouble,  the  Bitter's  should 
be  informed  of  what  took  place  at  The  Tabagie, 
so  that  they  may  not  spoil  our  lie  if  Grumkow 
questions  them." 

*  *  Bight !     You  're  right ! ' '  exclaimed  the  Mar- 
grave.    "Let  us  go  to  Bitter's  at  once.     To- 
morrow may  be  too  late." 

"Can  we  pass  the  palace  gates  without  the 
word  for  the  night  ? ' '  asked  Henry. 

"There  is  a  postern  to  which  I  have  a  key. 
"We'll  go  and  return  that  way,"  answered 
Adolph. 

Without  further  delay,  Henry  and  the  Mar- 
grave went  to  Bitter's,  awakened  the  good 
friends,  explained  the  situation,  and  received 
assurances  that  Grumkow  should  learn  nothing 
from  them. 

When  Henry  reached  his  room,  he  opened  the 
door,  entered  in  the  dark  and  found  a  man 
sitting  in  the  window. 


OF    OLD    BRANDENBURG          193 

"What  are  you  doing  here?"  demanded 
Henry,  grasping  the  hilt  of  his  sword. 

4 1 1  'm  waiting  to  thank  you,  and  to  beg  you  to 
forgive  me,"  answered  the  man,  who  proved 
to  be  the  Crown  Prince.  "I  am  so  humiliated 
when  I  think  of  the  manner  in  which  I  treated 
you  that  I  am  almost  ready  to  fall  on  my  knees, 
if  necessary,  to  gain  your  pardon.  My  sister 
and  I  doubted  you  because  you  have  enjoyed 
my  father's  favor  and  have  fallen  a  victim  to 
Don't  Care's  wiles,  but  my  doubt  has  vanished 
for  all  time,  and  my  sister's  confidence  will 
return  when  I  tell  her  of  what  you  did  for  me 
this  evening.  You  saved  my  life." 

"Surely  your  life  was  not  in  danger,"  said 
Henry. 

"It  was,"  returned  the  prince.  "Grumkow 
and  my  father  are  eager  to  fasten  the  charge  of 
treason  on  me,  and  they  thought  they  had  it 
until  you  spoiled  their  fine  scheme." 

"It  was  the  Margrave  who  spoiled  it,"  sug- 
gested Henry. 

"No,  no,  it  was  you,"  insisted  the  prince. 
"No  other  man's  word  would  have  been  taken 
by  the  king.  You  seem  to  have  thrown  a  spell 
over  him.  Mina  says  it  is  the  spell  of  a  brave 
heart." 

If  the  little  prince  could  have  seen  Henry's 

18 


194  A   GENTLE   KNIGHT 

face,  he  might  have  learned  an  interesting  fact 
from  the  joy  it  showed  when  Wilhelmina's 
name  was  mentioned. 

"Why  do  you  and  the  Princess  Wilhelmina 
believe  I  have  fallen  a  victim  to  the  wiles  of  the 
Princess  Charlotte?"  asked  Henry. 

"Did  you  not  meet  her  at  the  new  fountain 
in  the  west  garden?"  asked  Fritz. 

"Yes." 

"Why  did  you  meet  her  at  that  secluded  spot 
if— if— " 

"I  can't  explain,"  interrupted  Henry. 

After  a  moment's  thought,  the  prince  ex- 
claimed : 

"Ah!  I  understand;  I  understand.  The  Mar- 
grave said  she  asked  you  to  meet  her,  and  of 
course  you  could  not  refuse.  You  won't  explain 
at  her  expense.  I  wondered  how  you  could 
think  twice  of  Don't  Care  when  Wilhelmina 
is  smiling  on  you,  as  she  certainly  does." 
Henry  remained  silent,  though  the  prince's 
words  made  him  want  to  shout  for  joy.  "But, 
my  friend,"  continued  the  prince,  "let  me  warn 
you.  Mina's  smiles  are  the  most  beautiful  and 
the  most  dangerous  in  the  world.  Her  beauty, 
with  its  veil  of  sadness,  her  intellect,  her  tender 
heart,  her  fear  of  giving  pain,  and  her  yearning 
to  make  every  one  happy  have  filled  many  a 


195 

heart  with  the  pain  of  love.  She  is  not  a 
coquette,  and  I  arn  sure  has  never  smiled  on 
any  man  to  gain  his  love,  but  in  some  way 
she  seems  to  win  it  from  all  who  come  near 
her." 

"The  Princess  Charlotte  told  me  as  much," 
answered  Henry,  hardly  conscious  of  his  words. 

"Did  she?"  exclaimed  the  prince.  "So? 
Don't  Care  has  begun  her  campaign  against 
Mina  already?" 

"I  should  say  the  Princess  Charlotte  had 
paid  her  sister  a  great  compliment,"  returned 
Henry. 

"I  know  the  spirit  in  which  the  compliment 
was  paid, ' '  said  the  Crown  Prince,  ' '  and  doubt- 
less you,  too,  understood.  But  don't  misunder- 
stand Mina's  smiles.  She  smiles  on  Adolph 
because  she  pities  him.  She  will  probably  be 
his  wife  before  many  months.  The  thought 
almost  drives  me  mad,  and  the  marriage,  if 
accomplished,  will  kill  the  fairest  girl  on  earth." 

' '  It  would  be  a  crime, ' '  said  Henry ; '  *  and  the 
king  will  not  permit  it." 

"He  will  compel  it,"  returned  Fritz.  "The 
poor  girl  will  soon  have  to  marry  Frederick  of 
England,  whom  she  loathes,  the  Margrave  of 
Schwedt,  or  the  Duke  of  Weissenfels.  The 
Margrave  is  the  least,  by  far  the  least,  of  these 


196  A   GENTLE   KNIGHT 

evils.  If  the  duke  falls  to  her  lot,  I  believe  it 
will  be  my  duty  to  kill  him  or  her.  The  Mar- 
grave seems  to  be  her  only  hope,  and  if  the  king 
learns  of  Adolph's  blessed  lie,  my  sister  will 
soon  become  the  Duchess  of  Weissenfels." 

The  prince  again  thanked  Henry,  and  left 
him  with  material  for  thought  that  would  last 
till  morning. 

When  Henry  lay  down  that  night,  the  pano- 
rama of  the  last  few  weeks  passed  before  his 
mind.  He  recalled  his  first  meeting  with  the 
Margrave  of  Schwedt  at  the  country  inn,  re- 
membering vividly  how  absurd  Adolph's  pre- 
tensions had  then  appeared.  As  the  past 
merged  into  the  present,  he  thought  of  his  own 
great  change  of  heart  toward  the  Margrave, 
and  viewed  with  fear — almost  with  consterna- 
tion— his  altered  feeling  toward  the  princess. 
At  the  inn  Henry  had  despised  Adolph ;  now  he 
loved  him.  At  the  inn  Wilhelmina  was  but  a 
name  to  the  Hereditary  Prince  of  Bayreuth; 
now,  after  the  lapse  of  a  few  short  weeks,  she 
had  become  everything. 

Henry  knew  that  the  timely  help  he  had  given 
the  Crown  Prince  would  touch  Wilhelmina 's 
heart,  and  would  give  a  lasting  quality  to  her 
faith.  He  also  felt  and  feared  that  it  might 
win  for  him  her  love,  in  which  case  his  own 


OF    OLD   BRANDENBURG          197 

heart  would  be  filled  with  a  burden  of  unhappi- 
ness  that  would  last  him  all  his  days. 

Henry  could  not  forget  the  Margrave's  part 
in  the  affair,  and  knew  that  Adolph's  lie  would 
hang  like  a  halo  about  the  poor  fellow's  head, 
and  glorify  him  in  Mina's  eyes.  The  evening's 
work  might  intensify  Wilhelmina's  love  for 
Henry,  but  it  would  also  make  it  much  easier 
for  the  king  to  bend  her  to  his  will  when  the 
order  should  go  forth  for  her  to  become  the 
Margravine  of  Schwedt. 

Taking  it  all  in  all,  the  last  few  weeks  of 
Henry's  life  had  developed  good  cause  for 
unhappiness,  and  he  knew  that  his  only  safety 
lay  in  retreat  from  Berlin. 


CHAPTER  XII 

TOO  MANY  PRINCESSES 

THE  following  day  Adolph  handed  Henry  a 
letter.  The  only  signature  was  * '  Your  Friend, ' ' 
but  Henry  knew  at  once  that  it  was  from  the 
Princess  Wilhelmina.  It  said:  "I  thank  you. 
Your  words  yesterday  evening  sank  deep  into 
my  heart.  I  shall  never  forget  them,  even  for 
one  moment.  Your  Friend." 

Henry  read  the  brief  note  over  and  over,  for- 
getting, for  the  time,  the  Margrave  who  stood 
beside  him ;  forgetting  everything  but  the  letter 
before  him.  The  words  the  princess  referred 
to  in  her  note  were  those  Henry  had  spoken  to 
her.  The  meaning  was  so  luminous  to  him  that 
he  drew  the  paper  away  hastily  when  the  Mar- 
grave attempted  to  read  it. 

1 '  Forgive  me, ' '  said  Adolph,  when  his  inspec- 
tion of  the  note  was  interrupted.  "I  did  not 
realize  what  I  was  doing.  She  never  wrote  a 
line  to  me,  and  do  you  know,  I  am  almost 
jealous  of  you." 

Poor  Adolph 's  face  plainly  showed  his  dis- 
tress, so  Henry  hastened  to  relieve  him  by 
saying : 

188 


OF    OLD   BRANDENBURG          199 

"You  need  not  be  jealous.  The  princess 
simply  thanks  me  for  my  words  in  her  brother's 
behalf  yesterday  evening." 

Henry  handed  over  the  note,  and  Adolph, 
putting  on  his  immense  spectacles,  read  it. 

"That  is  about  what  she  said  to  me,"  re- 
marked the  Margrave,  sighing  and  smiling.  * '  I 
wish  she  had  written  it  to  me.  Let  me  keep  the 
note.  It  is  not  addressed  to  you.  I  will  make 
myself  believe  it  was  written  to  me,  and  how 
happy  I  shall  be.  I'll  kiss  it  every  hour  in  the 
day." 

Henry  regretted  to  part  with  the  note,  for  it 
would  make  him  happy,  too,  but  if  she  had  used 
the  language  of  the  note  to  the  Margrave,  the 
"words"  referred  to  might  be  those  uttered  by 
Henry  on  behalf  of  Fritz  at  The  Tabagie. 
Henry  was  beginning  to  doubt  the  meaning  of 
the  note,  and  soon  convinced  himself  that  his 
first  construction  could  not  be  the  right  one. 
He  did  not  want  the  Margrave  to  know  that  he 
greatly  valued  the  note,  so  he  said : 

"Keep  it,  Margrave." 

Adolph  tried  to  kiss  Henry's  cheek,  but  could 
not  reach  it  by  ten  or  twelve  inches,  so  he  kissed 
a  button  of  his  coat,  and  said : 

"You  save  my  life.  Once  more  am  I  happy. 
No  longer  am  I  jealous.  I  thought  for  a  mo- 


200  A   GENTLE    KNIGHT 

ment  that  you  had  fallen  in  love  with  her,  but 
now  I  know  I  was  wrong.  To  lose  her  and  to 
lose  my  friend  both  in  one  moment  would  have 
broken  my  heart." 

Henry's  conscience  smote  him  when  he  con- 
sidered the  truth  of  the  Margrave's  suspicions 
and  the  steadfastness  of  Ms  affection. 

"You  have  not  lost  your  friend,  Margrave,  I 
assure  you,"  said  Henry. 

"No,"  returned  Adolph,  "but  I  wish  I  could 
exchange  my  rank  and  title  for — for  you,  your- 
self." 

"Then  you  would  never  win  the  princess," 
answered  Henry,  laughing. 

"That  is  true,  true,"  returned  Adolph,  sigh- 
ing. After  a  moment's  reverie,  he  declared:  "I 
am  going  to  win  not  only  her,  but  her  love,  too. 
I  told  you  I  should  when  I  first  met  you  at  the 
inn.  I  thought  then  I  loved  the  princess,  but, 
lieber  Himmel,  my  friend,  I  did  not  know  the 
meaning  of  the  word!  Now  I  know  it  all  too 
well,  and  I  do  believe  I  shall  die  if  I  fail." 

"You  said  you  would  not  marry  her  against 
her  will — if  she  did  not  love  you,"  suggested 
Henry. 

"Yes,  and  I  meant  it  at  the  time,"  returned 
Adolph,  sighing  and  rubbing  his  face  with  the 
great  red  handkerchief.  "I  would  mean  it 


OF    OLD   BRANDENBUBG          201 

now,  too,  if  my  sacrifice  would  save  her,  but 
listen,  friend,  listen.  She  had  better  marry  me 
than  to  be  cursed  all  her  life  long  with  Weissen- 
fels.  I  am,  you  see,  the  less  of  two  evils.  I 
am,  in  fact,  the  least  of  all  the  evils  that  beset 
the  princess.  Ach,  Gott!"  he  continued,  laugh- 
ing and  shaking  his  head  in  profound  dis- 
gust. "There's  an  honor;  there's  a  privilege; 
there's  a  glory  for  you.  To  be  the  least  of  all 
evils!  Who  could  ask  more?  I  have  always 
thought  that  man's  ambition  should  prompt 
him  to  be  great,  even  though  he  can  be  only  a 
great  evil  like  Grumkow  or  Weissenfels,  but 
here  am  I,  so  fallen  and  so  degraded,  so 
humbled  by  love  that  I  am  content,  aye,  even 
delighted,  to  be  the  least  of  all  evils.  What  a 
very  Publican  am  I ! " 

Again  Adolph  paused  in  reverie,  holding  his 
handkerchief  half  way  to  his  face.  He  breathed 
a  sigh  and  continued  his  speech,  which  had  be- 
come almost  a  soliloquy: 

"Is  it  worth  while,  this  life  we  all  so  strive 
to  live?  Did  God  really  do  us  a  kindness  by 
placing  us  here,  and  when  we  pray  to  live, 
should  we  not  rather  say  with  the  priests : l  Thy 
will  be  done,'  and  the  quicker,  the  better.  Is 
death,  after  all,  an  evil,  or  is  it  the  greatest 
blessing  that  can  come  to  us,  and  are  we  con- 


202  A   GENTLE   KNIGHT 

stantly  running  from  it  to  our  own  undoing? 
Ach,  Gott!  I  don't  know  and  I  don't  care.  But 
this  I  do  know,  that  poor,  suffering  humanity 
would  have  missed  an  infinite  deal  of  pain, 
trouble  and  degradation  if  the  Creator  had 
seen  fit  to  leave  love  out  of  our  hearts  and 
imagination  out  of  our  brains.  But  I  have  the 
proud  distinction  of  being  the  least  of  all  evils, 
and  even  if  the  princess  does  not  love  me,  it  is 
clearly  my  duty  to  marry  her,  and  save  her  from 
the  worst  of  all  evils.  I  have  said — much." 

"Will  the  king  force  her  to  marry  Weissen- 
fels  if  you  refuse  her  hand?"  asked  Henry. 

"The  king  is  determined  to  have  both  his 
daughters  married  very  soon,"  answered 
Adolph.  "I  am  sure  the  English  marriage  is 
broken  off  forever.  Nothing  that  the  queen  can 
do  will  change  his  Majesty's  purpose.  The 
official  notice  of  withdrawal  will  be  sent  this 
week,  and  the  princess  will  be  given  her  choice 
of  husbands;  but  the  choice  will  lie  between 
Weissenfels  and  me." 

The  Margrave  turned  appealingly  to  Henry : 
"Tell  me,  friend,  what  shall  I  do?  Shall  I 
refuse  the  beautiful  princess  because  I  fear  she 
will  be  unhappy  with  me,  and  thus  allow  her  to 
fall  to  the  lot  of  Weissenfels,  with  whom  life 
would  be  a  torture ;  or  shall  I  accept  her,  even 


OF    OLD   BKANDENBUEG          203 

though  she  come  to  me  reluctantly,  and  devote 
my  life  to  making  her  happy, — at  least,  to  soft- 
ening her  wretchedness?  I  know  that  reasons 
to  justify  the  pursuit  of  one's  great  desire  come 
swiftly  and  in  legions,  as  the  wild  pigeons  fly 
north  in  spring-time,  but  tell  me,  friend,  you, 
whose  logic  is  not  spurred  by  deep  yearning, 
tell  me,  am  I  right?  What  shall  I  do?  I  seek 
only  this  woman's  happiness.  As  for  myself, 
it  matters  not.  Wretchedness  or  happiness, 
life  or  death ;  I  tell  you,  they  are  one  to  me  if  I 
can  bring  happiness  to  the  woman  I  love." 

The  Margrave  placed  his  hands  on  Henry  *s 
knees,  looked  wistfully  into  his  face,  and  after 
a  long  pause,  continued : 

"Put  my  love  out  of  the  question.  I  am  will- 
ing to  die  for  her  or  to  live  for  her.  I  ask  you 
to  tell  me  which  I  shall  do." 

"Only  God  knows,  my  noble  Adolph,"  an- 
swered Henry.  "If  Weissenfels  is  her  alter- 
native, you  must  marry  her." 

"I  agree  with  you,"  returned  Adolph,  sor- 
rowfully. "I  have  pondered  much  the  ques- 
tion. I  have  even  prayed;  yes,  I,  who  do  not 
believe  in  prayer,  have  prayed,  and  have  come 
to  this  conclusion :  I  agree  with  you.  Poor  girl 
— and — and,  lieber  Himmel,  poor  me!" 


204  A   GENTLE    KNIGHT 

"Noble  you!"  said  Henry,  taking  the  Mar- 
grave's hand. 

"Don't,  don't,"  pleaded  Adolph,  snatching 
his  hand  from  Henry's  grasp.  "Don't  speak 
to  me  so,  or  I  '11  cry  like  a  woman,  like  a  baby. ' ' 

Henry  was  deeply  affected,  and  wishing  to 
change  the  subject  to  one  that  would  be  indif- 
ferent to  them  both,  asked : 

"You  say  the  king  has  determined  to  have 
both  his  daughters  married.  Whom  has  he 
chosen  for  the  Princess  Charlotte?" 

"Ach,  my  friend,  now  I  may  be  sorry  for 
you.  You  have,  I  fear,  learned  to  love  the  little 
princess  ? ' ' 

"I  am  happy  to  say  that  your  fear  is  ground- 
less, and  that  I  do  not  stand  in  need  of  your 
sympathy,"  answered  Henry. 

"Of  course,  you  would  deny  it,"  returned 
the  Margrave,  winking  knowingly  at  his  friend. 

"I  might  deny  it  even  if  true,"  said  Henry, 
"but  it  is  not  true.  I  assure  you  the  Princess 
Charlotte  is  nothing  to  me,  nor  do  I  care  whom 
she  weds.  I  am  simply  curious  to  know  who 
has  been  chosen  for  her  husband.  It  is  a  mat- 
ter of  indifference  to  me." 

"No  one  has  been  definitely  selected,"  re- 
turned Adolph,  "but  I  heard  the  queen  say  she 
would  be  content  with  one  the  king  has  men- 


OF    OLD    BRANDENBURG          205 

tioned;  one  with  whom  the  Princess  Charlotte 
seems  delighted — the  Hereditary  Prince  of 
Bayreuth." 

Henry  was  so  startled  that  he  sprang  from 
his  chair.  The  new  topic  was  less  indifferent  to 
him  than  he  had  supposed  it  would  be.  In- 
deed, it  was  so  intensely  interesting  that  he 
could  not  for  a  moment  grasp  the  thought.  The 
offer  of  the  Princess  Charlotte's  hand  to  the 
Hereditary  Prince,  if  made,  would  have  to  be 
accepted.  Henry's  life  was  becoming  complex, 
but  the  last  evil  that  threatened,  if  it  came  to 
pass,  would  effectually  solve  all  problems  and 
reduce  all  complications  to  a  painful  condition 
of  simplicity. 

"When,  where  and  how,  in  God's  name,  did 
the  scheme  of  marriage  with  the  Prince  of  Bay- 
reuth  originate?"  asked  Henry,  resuming  his 
chair  and  trying  to  speak  calmly. 

"I  believe  it  was  suggested  a  week  ago  by  the 
Princess  Charlotte  herself,"  answered  Adolph. 
"The  king  told  her  he  intended  to  have  her 
married  soon,  and  she  was  very  much  pleased. 
'Oh,  do  find  me  a  husband!'  she  cried  delight- 
edly. t  There  is  the  Hereditary  Prince  of  Bay- 
reuth,  who,  I  have  heard,  is  a  large  man  and 
very  handsome.'  'The  very  man!  What  says 
Feekin?'  asked  the  king,  turning  to  his  wife. 


206  A   GENTLE    KNIGHT 

The  queen,  for  once  in  her  life,  agreed  with  her 
husband,  and  after  discussing  the  question  for 
a  few  minutes,  it  was  settled  among  them  in  a 
way.  Don't  Care  is  much  more  stubborn  and 
willful  than  her  sister,  and  her  father  knows 
that  he  might  kill  her,  but  he  could  not  force  her 
to  marry  against  her  will.  Even  the  king  is 
powerless  when  Don't  Care  says  'I  won't',  and 
he  is  practically  helpless  when  she  says  'I  will'. 
Therefore,  in  choosing  a  husband,  their  Majes- 
ties will  consult  her,  for  her  consent  will  be 
necessary. " 

"Have  negotiations  been  opened!"  asked 
Henry,  anxiously. 

"I  think  not,"  replied  Adolph.  "Negotia- 
tions of  that  nature  usually  are  born  and  dis- 
cussed in  The  Tabagie.  There  was  no  mention 
of  it  last  night,  as  you  know.  The  Princess 
Charlotte  is  not  yet  seventeen,  and  perhaps  the 
king  is  not  in  so  great  a  hurry  to  marry  her  off 
as  he  imagines  he  is.  The  thought  has  got  into 
her  head,  however,  and  probably  she  will  bring 
the  marriage  about,  as  she  seems  to  have  heard 
that  the  Hereditary  Prince  is  a  rare  fine  fellow. 
I  understand  that  he  is  very  poor,  very  long, 
very  lean  and  very  stur>id — dull  and  heavy  in 
the  head,  you  understand." 

Henrv  nodded  to  intimate  that  he  understood, 


OF    OLD   BRANDENBURG          207 

and  the  Margrave  continued:  "If  the  princess 
learns  that  the  Hereditary  Prince  is  a  disagree- 
able person  and  a  fool,  all  negotiations  will  be 
broken  off,  for  a  thousand  Frederick  Williams 
could  not  force  that  little  mite  of  a  girl  into  a 
marriage  that  did  not  suit  her.  When  she 
learns  the  truth,  Bayreuth  will  be  mentioned 
no  more  in  Berlin  Palace." 

"I  wish  the  Princess  Wilhelmina  had  a  dash 
of  her  willfulness,"  said  Henry. 

"Ach,  yes,"  returned  Adolph,  sighing,  "but 
if  she  had,  she  would  not  be  Wilhelmina. 
When  she  refuses  to  obey,  she  brings  her 
father's  heavy  hand  not  only  on  herself,  but  on 
her  brother  and  her  friends.  She  must  obey 
or  others  will  suffer.  If  she  alone  were  con- 
cerned, I  imagine  you  would  find  her  strong 
enough  to  take  care  of  herself.  Her  love  for 
her  brother  Fritz  and  her  devotion  to  her 
friends  are  the  old  king's  weapons  against  her, 
and  Mina  must  obey — she  must  obey." 

After  the  Margrave  left,  Henry  locked  the 
door  of  his  room  and  lay  down  on  the  bed 
to  think  it  all  out.  The  Margrave's  suggestion 
concerning  the  personality  of  the  Prince  of 
Bayreuth  had  given  him  a  valuable  hint,  and 
after  an  hour's  meditation,  he  formulated  at 
least  one  plan  which  he  hoped  would  prevent  the 


208  A   GENTLE    KNIGHT 

offer  of  Don't  Care's  hand.  He  had  another 
in  reserve  if  the  first  plan  failed. 

The  fates  seemed  to  be  as  perverse  in  threat- 
ening to  force  upon  Henry  the  princesses  he 
did  not  want  as  they  were  cruel  in  withholding 
the  one  he  wanted.  One  advantage  only  lay 
with  the  first-named  difficulty;  he  could  run 
away  from  it.  The  second  seemed  impossible 
to  surmount. 

After  carefully  thinking  over  his  plans, 
Henry  rose,  dressed  for  parade,  and  hurried  to 
the  barracks.  The  regiment  was  brought  out, 
and  he  was  soon  in  the  midst  of  military 
maneuvers. 

The  day  was  pleasant  and  many  ladies  in 
carriages  were  watching  the  drill.  In  one  of 
the  carriages  were  the  queen  and  the  Princesses 
Wilhelmina  and  Charlotte. 

When  Henry's  duties  were  finished,  he  rode 
near  the  royal  carriage  and  was  greeted  form- 
ally by  the  queen,  kindly  by  Wilhelmina,  and 
effusively  by  Don't  Care. 

"Oh,  stop  by  our  carriage,"  cried  the  little 
princess. 

Henry  dismounted,  moved  a  few  steps  nearer, 
lifted  his  chapeau,  and  asked : 

1  'Have  I  her  Majesty's  permission?" 

The  queen  nodded  consent,  and  Henry,  with 


OF   OLD   BEANDENBUEG          209 

Ms  bridle  rein  over  his  arm,  stood  uncovered 
by  the  carriage  while  Don't  Care  chatted,  chat- 
tered, smiled  and  dimpled  entertainingly. 

Presently  she  said:  "Perhaps  I  am  to  be 
married."  She  threw  back  her  head  and 
laughed  as  if  it  were  a  huge  joke. 

"Is  that  true?"  asked  Henry.  "I  congratu- 
late your  Highness.  Has  the  fortunate  man's 
name  been  announced?" 

"Oh,  yes,"  cried  the  princess.  "He  is  the 
Hereditary  Prince  of  Bayreuth." 

Henry  wondered  if  the  little  princess  sus- 
pected that  he  was  the  Hereditary  Prince  of 
Bayreuth.  The  thought  was  so  full  of  trouble 
that  he  was  hardly  conscious  of  what  he  said 
when  he  asked : 

"Is  it  definitely  settled?" 

"Oh,  yes,"  responded  Don't  Care,  laughing 
and  shrugging  her  shoulders;  "I  am  delighted, 
and  no  one  else  need  be  considered  unless  it  be 
the  prince.  Of  course,  he,  too,  will  be  delighted. 
But  in  this  case  the  fates  seem  propitious,  for 
the  king  and  the  queen  also  are  pleased.  It  is 
a  marvel  of  marvels  that  they  agree.  Yes,  it  is 
all  arranged,  or  will  be  very  soon." 

The  last  clause  brought  a  sigh  of  relief  from 
Henry's  lips,  so  audible  that  Don't  Care  heard 
it  and  accepted  it  as  a  tribute  to  her  charms. 

14 


210  A   GENTLE    KNIGHT 

"Are  you  not  jealous  of  the  prince?  I  am 
anxious  to  see  him.  I  have  heard  that  he  is  a 
fine,  large,  handsome  man.  Some  one  said  that 
he  is  stupid,  but  if  he  is  big  and  handsome,  I'll 
be  satisfied.  I  hope  to  see  him  soon." 

"Perhaps  you  will  change  your  mind  when 
you  see  him,"  suggested  Henry,  taking  the  first 
step  in  his  plan  of  self-defense. 

"Ah,  do  you  know  him — tell  me,  do  you 
know  him?"  asked  Don't  Care,  eagerly. 

"I  have  often  seen  him,  and  know  him 
slightly,  as  a  man  of  my  rank  may  know  one  of 
his  exalted  station,"  answered  Henry. 

"Yes,  yes,  tell  me,"  pleaded  Don't  Care. 

"He  is  large,"  answered  Henry,  "but  the 
Duke  of  "Weissenfels,  whom  he  resembles,  is  an 
Apollo  compared  to  him." 

At  that  moment  the  king  arrived ;  Henry  be- 
came silent,  and  presently  took  his  leave. 

Soon  after  leaving  the  queen's  carriage, 
Henry  met  Grumkow,  and  that  interesting  vil- 
lain favored  him  with  a  view  of  his  back. 
Henry  mentioned  the  fact  a  few  minutes  later 
to  the  Crown  Prince,  who  said : 

"I  was  sure  that  Grumkow  would  resent 
your  language  at  The  Tabagie.  He  had  a  fine 
scheme  concocted  to  behead  me,  but  you  spoiled 


OF    OLD    BRANDENBURG          211 

it.  He  never  forgets  nor  forgives,  and  I  fear 
you  are  in  danger." 

"I  agree  with  you,  but  I  see  no  way  to  avert 
trouble  unless  I  choke  Grumkow  or  run  away," 
answered  Henry,  laughing. 

"Nor  do  I,"  responded  Fritz.  "I  am  glad 
you  find  the  situation  amusing,  and  am  more 
than  pleased  that  you  can  laugh  at  it.  I  don't 
just  see  how  you  are  going  to  strangle  Grum- 
kow, but  if  I  were  you,  'run  away'  would  be  the 
word.  You  must  take  your  chances,  and  des- 
perate they  are,  if  you  remain  in  Berlin.  You 
have  said  that  if  you  wish  to  leave,  you  may 
do  so,  and  that  you  have  nothing  to  gain  by 
remaining.  Take  my  advice ;  go.  Why  do  you 
remain?  I  hope  you  have  not  fallen  under  the 
spell  of  Mina's  eyes  and  smile." 

"I,  too,  hope  not,"  interrupted  Henry, 
smiling. 

"You  are  different  from  other  men  who 
have  approached  her,  and  your  appeal  might  be 
stronger  than  any  she  has  ever  felt;  but,  my 
dear  captain,  remember  that  she  is  not  for  you, 
and  that  sentiment  between  you  and  her  would 
be  worse  than  wasted.  You,  perhaps,  have  not 
yet  felt  the  full  force  of  her  charm.  Leave  be- 
fore you  do,  for  in  all  the  world  there  is  no 


212  A   GENTLE   KNIGHT 

woman  so  gentle,  beautiful  and  strong  as  my 
sister  Wilhelmina,  nor  so  dangerous." 

"I  know  the  truth  of  all  you  say,"  returned 
Henry, ' '  and  I  hope  I  am  not  so  great  a  fool  as 
to  forget  it." 

Fine,  strong  words  were  those  in  Henry's 
mouth,  but  they  were  only  words. 


CHAPTER  Xin 

MINE  ADVERSARY  WRITES  A  LETTER 

THREE  or  four  evenings  after  the  incident  of 
the  parade  ground,  Henry  was  talking  to  Don't 
Care  in  the  Mirrored  Chamber,  where  the  queen 
was  giving  a  ball.  The  little  princess  had 
found  no  opportunity  early  in  the  evening  to 
speak  privately  with  him,  having  been  sur- 
rounded by  a  swarm  of  admirers,  but  when  he 
came  up  to  claim  a  cotillion,  she  whispered 
hurriedly : 

"Meet  me  again  at  the  new  fountain  early 
to-morrow  morning.  I  want  to  see  you.  I  have 
news  of  great  importance.  Grumkow  hates 
you.  Beware  of  him.  I  also  want  you  to  tell 
me  of  the  Prince  of  Bayreuth.  If  he  is  hideous, 
I  will  have  none  of  him.  If  he  were  like  you, 
he  should  never  get  away  from  me.  Why  were 
you  not  born  a  prince?" 

"When  I  see  your  Highness  looking  so  beau- 
tiful, and  when  you  speak  to  me  so  graciously, 
I  do  wish  I  had  been  born  a  prince,  although  I 
have  no  other  reason  for  desiring  it.  The  life 
of  a  prince  is  not  all  sunshine.  I  shall  be  at 

213 


214  A    GENTLE    KNIGHT 

the  new  fountain  Very  early  to-morrow  morn- 
ing." 

"Ah,"  whispered  Don't  Care,  laughing 
softly,  and  shrugging  her  shoulders  in  the  belief 
that  her  charms  had  at  last  driven  caution  from 
Fritz  Henry's  breast,  and  had  captured  his 
heart  for  her  own  uses  and  purposes.  The 
small  princess  was  convinced  that  her  charms 
were  omnipotent,  and  her  surprise  was  not  that 
Henry  had  yielded  to  them,  but  that  he  had  not 
surrendered  at  the  first  onslaught. 

The  prospect  of  the  second  meeting  at  the 
fountain  was  as  welcome  to  Henry  as  the  first 
had  been  repugnant.  It  would  give  him  an 
opportunity  to  set  in  operation  his  plan,  and 
to  hear  Don't  Care's  warning  against  Grum- 
kow,  which  he  felt  sure  was  one  to  be  heeded. 

Soon  after  the  interview  with  Don't  Care, 
Henry  had  the  great  happiness  of  dancing  a 
cotillion  with  "Wilhelmina,  and,  in  the  brief 
rests,  the  greater  happiness  of  exchanging  a 
few  words  with  her. 

When  the  opportunity  came,  she  said:  "In 
my  note,  I  fear,  I  did  not  tell  you  of  my  grati- 
tude for  the  service  you  rendered  my  brother 
at  The  Tabagie.  I  have  heard  none  of  the 
particulars  except  that  Grumkow  charged  the 
prince  with  having  spoken  treason  against 


OF    OLD    BRANDENBURG          215 

the  king,  and  that  you  told  Grumkow  he 
lied.  Oh,  it  must  have  been  grand!  I  wish 
I  could  have  seen  you.  The  king  is  always 
saying  that  you  do  not  fear  the  devil,  and 
I  believe  he  is  right,  for  Grumkow  surely  is 
Satan  incarnate.  Sonnsfeld  tells  me  that  you 
said  you  had  been  with  the  prince  in  his  room 
all  the  evening,  and  that  my  brother  did  not 
use  the  treasonable  words  of  which  Grumkow 
accused  him." 

"The  Margrave  and  I  made  a  combined  state- 
ment, regardless  of  truth,"  answered  Henry, 
who  supposed  the  princess  knew  that  their 
evidence  had  been  furnished  to  meet  the  needs 
of  the  occasion.  Wilhelmina's  eyes  opened  in 
wonder,  and  she  groped  about  for  a  moment, 
seeking  an  explanation.  Suddenly  her  face 
lighted  beautifully ;  her  eyes  took  on  a  softened 
luster,  and  she  said  under  her  breath : 

"Then  you  told  a — a  falsehood  for  my 
brother's  sake." 

"For  your  sake,"  interrupted  Henry. 

Mina  glanced  quickly  at  Henry's  face,  looked 
as  quickly  to  the  floor,  and  answered : 

"It  was  a  blessed  lie.  I  did  not  know  how 
great  my  debt  was.  I  don't  know  yet.  I  can't 
measure  it.  I  can  only  feel  that  I  thank  you. 
I  do  thank  you,  for  I  believe  you  saved  my 


216  A   GENTLE    KNIGHT 

brother's  life.  How  came  you  to  think  of  it  so 
quickly?" 

"The  Margrave  first  uttered  the  black  lie," 
said  Henry,  laughing  softly,  "and  I  confirmed 
it." 

"No,  no,"  protested  the  princess.  "My 
brother  told  Kate  that  you  sprang  to  your  feet 
before  any  one  else  had  an  opportunity  to 
speak,  and  denounced  Grumkow's  statement  as 
a  lie.  How  grand  you  must  have  looked! 
Fritz  said  he  would  give  his  right  to  the 
crown  to  be  as  tall  and  to  look  as  grand  as 
you  when  you  bearded  Grumkow  and  my  father 
in  their  den,  and  defied  them  for  the  sake  of  one 
who  had  not  always  treated  you  kindly." 

The  princess  blushed  before  she  had  finished 
speaking,  for  her  enthusiasm  had  run  away 
with  her  tongue.  Her  eyes,  too,  said  a  great 
deal  more  than  she  had  intended  they  should — 
a  great  deal  that  filled  Henry's  heart  with  joy. 
He  had,  however,  too  much  good  sense  to  pre- 
sume on  the  girl's  hasty  words  and  unguarded 
glances,  so  after  a  long  pause,  he  said: 

"I  supposed  you  knew  all  that  was  done 
and  said  at  The  Tabagie.  In  your  kind  note, 
you  said  my  words  had  sunk  deep  into  your 
heart.  Therfore  I  thought  you  knew." 

Henry  was  angling,  though  his  hook  and  bait 


OF    OLD    BRANDENBUBG          217 

were  cunningly  concealed.  He  accomplished 
his  purpose,  for  the  beautiful  girl  looked  up  at 
his  face,  instantly  dropped  her  eyes  before  his 
gaze,  hesitated  for  a  moment,  and  said  in  clear, 
soft  tones: 

"I  did  not  mean  the  words  you  spoke  at  The 
Tabagie. ' ' 

Henry's  heart  was  filled  with  ecstasy,  but  he 
restrained  himself  and  said  only: 

"I  dare  not  try  to  speak  my  gratitude,  but 
you  must  know." 

"Yes,"  said  the  girl,  softly.  "My  greatest 
grief  is  that  I  ever  doubted  you." 

They  stood  in  silence  for  a  moment,  and  were 
glad  when  the  dancing  was  resumed,  for  they 
could  not  trust  themselves  to  speak  again. 

When  the  figure  was  finished,  the  queen  rose 
and  the  ball  closed,  much  to  the  relief  of  Mina 
and  Henry,  who  wanted  to  be  alone  to  indulge 
in  the  sweet  memories  of  the  evening. 

Henry's  joy  was  almost  pain.  To  have 
won  the  girl's  love  with  no  possibility  of  pos- 
sessing her  was  like  gazing  hopelessly  into 
paradise  from  the  other  place.  He  found  no 
relief  in  calling  himself  a  fool  for  having  re- 
mained in  Berlin,  for  after  all  was  said,  he 
was  still  willing  to  remain,  and  to  suffer  any 
evil  if  he  could  be  of  help  to  the  princess. 


218  A   GENTLE    KNIGHT 

How  lie  could  help  her,  he  did  not  know, 
but  the  mere  chance  was  sufficient  to  make 
pain  for  her  sake  a  joy.  In  any  case,  the 
mischief,  as  far  as  he  was  concerned,  was  done. 
The  princess  had  taken  her  place  in  his  heart, 
there  to  remain,  and  he  could  not  relieve  him- 
self of  the  burden  by  trying  to  run  away  from 
it.  He  could  not  help  thinking  of  the  Mar- 
grave's love,  and  pity  for  Adolph  added  pain 
to  a  stricken  conscience  whenever  thoughts  of 
the  simple,  kindly  soul  thrust  themselves  for- 
ward and  would  not  be  put  down. 

Henry  revolted  against  meeting  Don't  Care 
in  the  morning,  but  he  could  not  afford  to  lose 
the  opportunity  to  thwart  the  king's  scheme  of 
marriage  with  Bayreuth,  and  dared  not  fail  to 
learn  Don't  Care's  news  of  Grumkow,  which  he 
believed  would  come  directly  from  Ramen,  who 
was  Grumkow 's  sweetheart.  Henry's  position 
was  unique.  On  the  one  hand  was  the  girl  he 
loved  but  could  not  marry;  and  on  the  other 
hand  was  one  he  despised,  but  would  be  com- 
pelled to  accept  if  he  did  not  succeed  in  defeat- 
ing the  king's  purposes. 

By  cajolery  or  storm,  the  Princess  Charlotte 
had  always  had  her  way  with  the  king.  She 
was  the  only  person  who  enjoyed  that  unique 
privilege,  and  Henry  felt  that  the  Prince  of 


OF    OLD   BRANDENBURG          219 

Bayreuth  would  be  safe,  at  least  for  a  time,  if 
Captain  Churchill  could  capture  her  fancy  by 
a  negative  mode  of  wooing,  part  flattery,  part 
pretended  fear  and  part  indifference.  That 
which  Don't  Care  could  not  possess  was  the 
thing  she  ardently  longed  for.  The  man  whom 
she  could  not  bring  to  her  feet  would  soon  have 
her  at  his  feet,  Henry  felt  sure.  Her  love 
might  be  a  dangerous  thing  to  possess,  but  it 
was  safer  to  try  for  it  than  to  allow  negotia- 
tions to  be  opened  with  Bayreuth.  Henry's 
only  hope  of  escape  from  Don't  Care  was  to 
prevent  the  offer  of  her  hand,  and  one  of  his 
plans  to  bring  about  that  end  was  to  win  her 
wayward  fancy  as  the  Handsome  Captain. 

His  first  plan  seemed  feasible  when  Don't 
Care  said  she  would  not  marry  the  Hereditary 
Prince  of  Bayreuth  if  he  was  not  handsome  and 
agreeable.  But  Henry  determined  to  try  both 
plans  next  morning.  Having  settled  the  ques- 
tion, he  tried  to  go  to  sleep,  and  after  a  weary 
time,  succeeded. 

Mina,  too,  went  to  her  own  room,  and  while 
Sonnsfeld  was  busy  with  preparations  for  the 
night,  suddenly  covered  her  face  with  her  hands 
and  broke  forth  in  tears. 

"What  is  the  trouble,  liebling?"  asked  the 


220  A   GENTLE    KNIGHT 

maid,  tenderly  kissing  her  mistress.  "Tell  me 
why  you  are  so  unhappy. ' ' 

"I  am  not  unhappy,  Kate,"  answered  the 
girl,  trying  to  check  her  tears.  "That  is,  I  am 
both  happy  and  unhappy.  Never  in  all  my  life 
have  I  been  so  happy,  and  never  have  I  been  so 
miserable,  so  hopeless.  Oh,  Kate,  for  the  first 
time  in  my  life,  I  want  to  die !  I  want  to  die ! ' ' 

"Is  it  the  Handsome  Captain,  Mina?"  asked 
Kate. 

"Yes,"  sobbed  the  girl.  "At  last,  I  told 
him.  I  could  remain  silent  no  longer.  With 
me  it  was  both  the  torrent  and  the  tide. ' ' 

"Ah,  Mina,"  exclaimed  Sonnsfeld,  taking 
the  girl  in  her  arms. 

"Yes,"  returned  the  princess,  sobbing.  "I 
could  not  help  telling  him;  that  is,  I  could  not 
help  speaking  so  plainly  that  he  could  not  mis- 
understand. He  did  not  ask  me  to  speak.  He 
told  me  long  ago,  and  said  that  he  asked  no 
return,  not  even  one  kind  word." 

"It  is  a  rare  lover,  Mina,  that  asks  only  the 
privilege  of  giving, ' '  said  Kate.  ' '  But  usually, 
in  the  end  he  receives  as  much  as  he  gives. 
Nothing  brings  so  great  a  reward  as  unselfish 
love." 

Mina  was  silent  for  a  moment,  then  resting 
her  head  on  Sonnsf eld's  breast,  whispered: 


OF   OLD  BRANDENBUBG          221 

"I  could  not  hold  out  against  him  when  he 
gave  so  much  to  my  brother  and  to  me,  and 
asked  nothing  in  return;  it  would  have  been 
selfish.  So  I  gave  him  all  I  have  to  give — my 
love,  and — and  I  am  glad — glad.  Before  this 
came  to  me  I  was  unhappy  when  my  father 
spoke  of  marriage,  but  now  the  double  torture 
of  losing  the  man  I  love  and  of  marrying  the 
one  I  cannot  love,  and  at  times  almost  loathe, 
will  kill  me,  I  fear." 

"The  English  treaty,  I  hear,  is  to  be  abro- 
gated, ' '  said  Kate,  * '  and  you  will  be  freed  from 
the  fear  of  marriage,  at  least,  for  a  time." 

"No,  I  shall  not  be  free,"  returned  the  prin- 
cess. "The  English  marriage  will  be  aban- 
doned, but  Eamen  told  the  queen  this  morning 
that  Grumkow  said  I  should  be  ordered  to 
choose  at  once  between  the  Margrave  of 
Schwedt  and  the  Duke  of  Weissenfels." 

"God  is  good,  and  He  will  not  permit  that 
great  crime  to  be  perpetrated.  Do  not  fear. 
He  will  open  a  door  of  escape,"  said  Kate. 

"I  hope  He  will,"  answered  Mina,  "but  He 
seems  to  have  forgotten  me.  Wherein  can  I 
have  sinned  so  grievously  that  I  deserve  my 
unhappy  lot?" 

"You  have  not  sinned,  liebling,"  returned 
Sonnsfeld,  kissing  Mina's  cheek. 


222  A   GENTLE   KNIGHT 

"I  must  have  sinned/'  sobbed  Mina,  "for  in 
all  the  world,  I  am  the  most  unhappy  woman." 

" Ach,  liebling,  it  is  our  lot — our  lot,"  said 
Kate,  tears  falling  gently  over  her  cheeks.  "I 
never  see  a  girl  baby  that  I  do  not  pity  the  poor 
little  human  mite,  and  wonder  in  which  of  a 
thousand  forms  unhappiness  will  come  to  her. 
We  pay  a  frightful  price  for  our  womanhood, 
but  God  is  good.  He  knows  best  and  His  will 
be  done." 

The  next  morning  when  Henry  awakened,  he 
was  anxious  to  see  Don't  Care,  and  though  he 
was  early  at  the  fountain,  he  found  the  beau- 
tiful little  princess  waiting  for  him. 

"You  see  how  shamefully  eager  I  am,"  she 
said,  holding  out  her  hands  to  him. 

Henry  kissed  the  tips  of  her  fingers  most 
formally. 

"Ach,  not  my  hands,  man,  not  my  hands!" 
she  cried,  laughing  and  stepping  close  to  him. 
But  he  failed  to  understand  the  invitation,  and 
replied : 

"I  see  how  gracious  and  how  condescending 
your  Highness  is  in  granting  me  this  interview. 
I  can  hardly  bring  myself  to  believe  that  the 
beautiful  Princess  Charlotte  has  so  greatly 
honored  me.  If  I  did  not  know  my  danger,  I 


OF    OLD   BRANDENBURG          223 

should  indeed  be  in  peril  of  a  broken  heart,  but 
forewarned  is  forearmed,  and  your  Highness 
need  not  fear  that  I  shall  lose  my  head." 

"Oh,  but  I  want  you  to  lose  not  only  your 
head,  but  your — "  She  touched  his  breast  over 
his  heart,  and  smiled  invitingly. 

4 'My  heart  may  be  beyond  my  control," 
answered  Henry,  laughing  nervously.  (The 
nervousness  was,  of  course,  assumed.)  "But 
unless  I  also  lose  my  head,  my  heart's  secret,  if 
there  should  be  one,  shall  remain  safe  under 
lock  and  key,  and  would  not  dare  intrude  itself 
upon  a  gracious  princess." 

1 '  Your  prudence  and  caution  anger  me, ' '  said 
Don't  Care,  pettishly,  "and  I  half  believe  they 
are  affected." 

"In  that  case,  I  must  ask  your  Highness 's 
permission  to  take  my  leave, ' '  said  Henry,  bow- 
ing and  taking  a  step  backward. 

"You  surely  are  the  most  exasperating  of 
men,"  cried  Don't  Care,  pouting  and  turning 
her  back  on  Henry. 

"Of  all  things,  I  should  most  regret  to 
exasperate  your  Highness.  Therefore,  I  had 
better  go.  If  I  had  been  wise,  I  should  not 
have  come." 

Thus  adroitly  leading  the  princess,  yet  ever 
retreating  from  her,  Henry  held  the  situation 


224  A   GENTLE   KNIGHT 

in  hand  until  he  found  an  opportunity  to  intro- 
duce the  name  of  the  Hereditary  Prince  of 
Bayreuth. 

"Oh,  tell  me  all  about  him,"  demanded  Don't 
Care.  "Is  he  handsome!" 

"I  must  not  speak  of  your  future  husband  un- 
less I  can  speak  flatteringly,"  responded  Henry. 

"Yes,  yes,  you  shall!  You  shall!"  she  cried, 
stamping  her  foot  impatiently  and  pouting  ex- 
quisitely. *  *  Tell  me,  I  command  you !  Is  he  a 
handsome  man?" 

"Far  from  it.  He  is  very  tall  and  was 
very  thin  when  I  knew  him  some  years  ago. 
He  resembles  the  Duke  of  Weissenfels  much, — 
as  the  Margrave  would  say." 

"Ach,  Gott,  I'll  have  none  of  him!"  cried  the 
little  princess.  "Tell  me  more  about  him.  Is 
he  strong?" 

1 1 1  believe  he  is  not, ' '  answered  Henry.  ' '  He 
is  very  tall  but  his  health  is  poor,  and  I  have 
been  told  that  his  breath  is  nauseating.  His 
teeth  are  very  bad,  and  one  of  his  eyes  rolls 
about  in  his  head,  independent  of  the  other. 
But  I  hear  he  is  very  honest,  kind  of  heart,  and 
very  pious." 

"Himmel,  that  is  all  that's  needed!"  cried 
the  little  princess,  averting  her  face,  and  hold- 
ing up  her  hands  as  if  warding  off  an  evil. 


OF   OLD  BEANDENBUKG          225 

"That  is  all  that  is  needed.  I  might  have 
endured  his  other  defects,  but  the  pious  man  is 
like  the  mosquito ;  his  buzz,  buzz,  buzz  is  varied 
only  by  an  irritating  sting  when  the  opportunity 
conies.  No  pious  husband  for  me — a  Turk  first, 
please.  When  ostentatious  piety  takes  posses- 
sion of  a  man,  it  supplants  all  other  virtues  and 
stimulates  all  other  vices.  I'll  have  none  of 
our  friend  of  Bayreuth,  and  I'll  tell  my  father 
and  Grumkow  as  much  this  day." 

She  moved  closer  to  Henry  and  continued: 
"Now  I'll  tell  you  my  news.  Grumkow  is  your 
enemy  and  seeks  to  destroy  you.  Eamen  says 
you  offended  him  at  The  Tabagie.  There  was 
some  trouble  about  Fritz." 

"Yes,  yes,  I  know,"  said  Henry.  "Please 
tell  me  all  you  have  heard,  and  your  Highness 
may  be  sure  I  shall  be  grateful." 

The  little  princess,  leaning  affectionately 
against  Henry,  continued  her  story: 

"Grumkow  wrote  a  letter  to  his  lady-love, 
Ramen,  and  I  accidentally  found  it.  There  is 
nothing  like  a  letter  as  a  weapon  of  offense  and 
defense.  Some  one  in  the  Bible  said :  '  Oh,  that 
mine  adversary  had  written  a  book !'  or  a  letter, 
or  something.  He  was  wise.  I  have  the  letter ; 
your  enemy  has  written  it,  and  it  tells  the  whole 

15 


226  A   GENTLE   KNIGHT 

story.  But  you  must  promise  to  tell  no  one 
that  I  showed  it  to  you. ' ' 

"I  promise. " 

"Well,  here  it  is,"  said  Don't  Care,  unhook- 
ing her  bodice  and  bringing  forth  the  letter 
from  her  corsage. 

Henry  read  to  himself  as  follows : 

"Dear  Mistress:  You  doubtless  have  heard 
ere  this  of  the  manner  in  which  the  king's  new 
favorite,  a  low-bred  fellow,  offered  me  insult  at 
The  Tabagie,  and  thwarted  my  plan  to  entrap 
the  Little  One.  Old  Stumpy  was  ready  to  act. 
Seckendorf  and  I  had  worked  the  crazy  old  fool 
almost  to  the  point  of  frenzy.  He  swallowed 
our  story,  which  I  believe  was  almost  if  not 
quite  true,  hook  and  bait.  If  this  low  fellow 
that  has  caught  the  king's  fancy  had  kept  still, 
a  trial  for  treason  would  now  be  in  progress, 
and  our  august  master  would  be  growing  more 
violent  hour  by  hour. 

"We  must  be  rid  of  this  long  captain. 
Therefore,  I  write  to  ask  you  to  keep  watch  on 
him  for  any  word  or  act  that  may  discredit  him 
with  the  king.  If  he  loses  the  king's  favor,  we 
shall  find  a  way  to  hang  him  quickly  enough. 
The  Little  Hussy  will  soon  marry  the  Fat  Fool 
or  the  Lean  Idiot,  I  care  not  which.  Then  the 


OF    OLD   BRANDENBURG          227 

Old  One  will  hang  the  Little  One.  That  will 
arouse  the  people  against  Stumpy  and  his  reign 
will  come  to  an  end  soon  afterwards.  The  Fat 
One  will  be  made  king,  but  your  friend  will  be 
the  real  king,  and  you,  the  fairest  of  women, 
shall  be  the  real  queen.  But  first  we  must  rid 
ourselves  of  this  troublesome  captain.  I  am 
sure  your  sharp  eyes  and  quick  wit  will  soon 
accomplish  that  small  matter  by  discovering 
or  inventing  a  charge  against  him  that  the  king 
will  believe.  Bear  in  mind  my  oft  repeated 
admonition:  burn  this  letter. 

"With  deep  affection, 

"Your  devoted  Grrumkow." 

Henry's  sensations  on  reading  the  letter  were 
a  mixture  of  horror  and  joy ;  horror  because  of 
the  black  villainy  it  betrayed;  joy  because  the 
letter  had  fallen  into  his  hands,  and  would  fill 
Don't  Care's  definition  of  a  weapon  of  defense 
so  completely  as  to  leave  little  to  be  desired, 

"I  thank  your  Highness  with  all  my  heart 
for  giving  me  this,"  said  Henry,  folding  the 
letter.  "It  will  be  my  safeguard,  and  to  you 
I  shall  owe  the  fact  that  I  am  both  warned 
and  armed.  I  do  indeed  thank  you  for  giving 
it  to  me." 

"Oh,  but  I  don't  give  it  to  you!"  cried  Don't 


228  A   GENTLE   KNIGHT 

Care,  reaching  out  her  hand  for  the  letter.  ' '  I 
did  not  read  it  all.  I  had  only  time  to  glance  at 
the  first  few  lines.  I  saw  that  they  threatened 
you,  so  I  hid  the  letter  when  Bamen  approached 
and  brought  it  to  you.  I  must  take  it  back  and 
put  it  where  I  found  it.  I  was  glancing  through 
Eamen's  boxes,  reticules  and  gowns  just  to  see 
what  I  could  see,  you  know — of  course,  Eamen 
was  not  present — and  ran  across  this  letter  in 
the  pocket  of  a  sleeve.  She  was  a  fool  not  to 
burn  it.  Well,  I  stole  it,  and — and  don't  you 
see  I  must  not  give  it  to  you?  I  must  put  it 
back  where  I  got  it,  or  Eamen  will  miss  it ;  then 
look  out  for  trouble !  If  there  ever  was  a  she- 
devil,  Eamen  is  one.  She  would  at  once  sus- 
pect me.  We  have  wonderful  fights.  Mina 
weeps  when  Eamen  attacks  her,  but  I  fight.  I 
love  to  fight,  fight,  fight.  Oh,  I  must  not  give 
it  to  you.  Eamen  would  kill  me." 

"Eamen  will  not  dare  to  mention  the  letter. 
You  need  have  no  fear  on  that  score,"  said 
Henry.  ' '  She  will  not  admit  she  has  ever  seen 
it." 

"Yes,  she  will  mention  it,"  returned  the 
princess.  "She's  not  only  a  devil;  she  is  also 
a  fool,  and  would  have  no  better  judgment 
when  angry  than  to  make  trouble  over  the  loss 
of  her  letter.  Oh,  I  must  not  give  it  to  you!" 


OF    OLD  BKANDENBURG          229 

Henry  was  sure  that  if  the  princess  knew  the 
contents  of  the  letter,  she  would  know  that 
Bamen  would  not  dare  to  make  trouble  over  its 
loss,  nor  to  admit,  even  in  the  most  indirect 
manner,  that  she  had  any  knowledge  of  its  exist- 
ence. But  he  did  not  want  to  impart  the  con- 
tents to  Don't  Care,  for  she  might  go  to  her 
father  with  the  perilous  and  valuable  knowl- 
edge, and  might  explode  the  mine  before  the 
time  was  ripe.  Therefore,  he  determined  to 
try,  if  possible,  to  keep  the  letter  without  show- 
ing it  to  the  princess. 

"If  your  Highness  will  not  do  me  this  great 
favor — one  that  may  be  the  means  of  saving 
my  life — at  so  small  a  cost  to  yourself,  I  shall 
bitterly  regret  having  come  to  meet  you,  for  I 
shall  know  what  I  have  already  suspected, 
that  your  Highness  seeks  only  to  make  a  fool 
of  me,  and  shall  guide  myself  accordingly 
hereafter. ' ' 

Henry's  manner  clearly  expressed  a  threat. 
Don't  Care  hung  in  the  wind  for  a  moment,  and 
asked : 

"Will  you  come  to  meet  me  whenever  possible 
if  I  give  you  the  letter?" 

"I  run  a  greater  risk  from  your  Highness 
than  from  Grumkow,"  he  answered,  pretending 
to  be  in  the  depths  of  a  great  struggle,  "and  I 


230  A   GENTLE   KNIGHT 

had  better  return  the  letter  to  you  and  leave 
Berlin  at  once." 

He  had  no  intention  of  returning  the  letter, 
but  wished  to  relieve  himself  of  all  obligation 
by  leading  the  little  princess  to  beg  him  to  keep 
it.  His  purpose  was  accomplished  quickly,  for 
the  princess  said  impetuously: 

"Please  keep  it;  keep  it,  and  remain  in  Ber- 
lin. You  shall  not  go. ' ' 

"I  must  not  remain,  your  Highness.  Take 
back  the  letter  and  I  will  go,  not  because  I  am 
afraid  of  Grumkow,  but  because  I  fear — 

"No,  no,  I  will  not  take  it,"  returned  the 
princess,  pleadingly.  "I  beg  you  to  keep  it, 
and  I  want  you  to  promise  that  you  will  not 
leave  Berlin.  Keep  the  letter,  but  tell  no  one 
of  it.  If  Bamen  is  so  great  a  fool  as  to  accuse 
me  of  taking  it,  I  will  grow  angry.  I'll  tell 
her  she  lies,  and  if  she  makes  further  stir  in  the 
matter,  I'll  threaten  to  find  the  letter  and  take 
it  to  my  father.  I  fancy  that  will  silence  her. 
Now  keep  it  and  stay  here  in  Berlin  with  me. 
I'll  not  marry  Bayreuth — nor  any  other  man, 
if  you  wish  me  to  remain  single." 

Henry,  still  in  imaginary  throes,  spoke  as  if 
in  desperation: 

"I  must  leave  Berlin,  though  I  promise  not 
to  go  at  once.  But  I  must  not  remain  here 


OF   OLD  BRANDENBURG          231 

with  your  Highness  a  moment  longer.    I  can- 
not trust  myself." 

Henry's  purpose  having  been  accomplished 
more  completely  than  he  had  dared  hope  for, 
he  hurriedly  left  the  princess  in  the  midst  of 
her  entreaties  to  remain,  and  went  to  his  room, 
where  he  could  be  alone  to  think  over  the 
marvelous  conditions  surrounding  him. 


CHAPTEE  XIV 

HENRY  MAKES  LOVE  FOR  THE  MARGRAVE 

DURING  the  month  following  the  important 
interview  with  Don't  Care,  Henry  was  again 
busy  a  great  part  of  the  time  at  Spandau  and 
Potsdam,  drilling  troops.  The  king's  passion 
for  reviewing  his  army  engrossed  his  thoughts 
to  an  extent  that  bade  fair  to  supplant  all  other 
business  of  state,  so  he  kept  his  new  captain 
always  by  his  side. 

Since  the  momentous  evening  at  The  Tabagie, 
Grumkow  had  refused  to  speak  to  Henry, 
though  prior  to  that  stormy  scene,  the  baron 
had  evinced  great  kindliness  for  the  king's  new 
favorite,  hoping,  doubtless,  to  use  him.  The 
king,  noticing  Grumkow 's  coldness,  called 
Henry's  attention  to  it. 

"Grumkow  seems  to  hold  resentment  against 
you  for  having  called  him  a  liar,"  said  the  king, 
chuckling  in  amusement;  "it's  strange  that  he 
should  be  angry  over  so  small  a  matter." 

Henry  made  no  reply,  and  after  a  moment 
his  Majesty  remarked:  "He  is  a  dangerous 


enemy. ' ' 


232 


OF    OLD   BBANDENBUBG          233 

"I  fear  no  one  while  I  have  your  Majesty's 
favor." 

"Yes,  yes,"  responded  the  king,  nervously; 
"but  Grumkow  is  dangerous.  He  is  apt  to 
hatch  lies  about  you,  and  his  lies  are  so  well 
constructed,  and  are  always  backed  by  such 
good  evidence  that — that  I  am  apt  to  believe 
them.  Yes,  by  the  devil,  believe  them.  I  say 
to  myself  'I  won't',  but  in  the  end  I  do.  I 
know  he  is  a  devil  in  human  form,  but  he  is  very 
adroit,  and  seems  to  have  little  trouble  in  con- 
vincing me  that  he  is  an  arch-angel — my  guar- 
dian arch-angel.  You  once  said  Grumkow  was 
a  fool.  You  were  right,  but  he  is  the  wisest, 
shrewdest,  most  unscrupulous  fool  on  earth. 
Every  king  needs  a  devil  in  his  employ ;  there- 
fore I  keep  Grumkow." 

' l  Again  I  say  I  fear  no  man  while  I  have  your 
Majesty's  favor,"  said  Henry.  "A  lie  may 
live  for  a  time,  but  a  man  who  is  brave  enough 
to  speak  the  truth  without  counting  the  cost 
will  win  for  all  time.  When  I  offend  your 
Majesty  by  speaking  the  truth,  I  shall  ask  per- 
mission to  leave  Berlin." 

"Tut,  tut!  Don't  talk  of  leaving  me,"  re- 
sponded the  king;  "don't  fear  to  speak  the 
truth  at  all  times.  If  you  lie  to  me,  I'll  hang 
you.  I  may  soon  have  more  use  for  you  than 


234  A   GENTLE    KNIGHT 

you  now  suppose.  I'm  always  willing  to  trust 
a  brave  man.  Grumkow  is  a  coward;  he  is 
brave  only  when  he  feels  safe.  If  he  were  not 
useful  to  me,  I  should  not  keep  him  a  day.  Be 
careful.  He  will  ruin  you  with  me  if  he  can. 
But  if  we  put  our  heads  together,  we  shall 
thwart  him.  I  tell  you,  he 's  a  dangerous  man. ' ' 

Henry  quite  agreed  with  the  king's  estimate 
of  Grumkow,  and  thinking  the  time  opportune 
for  making  friends  with  the  powerful  minister, 
said: 

"I  did  not  say  that  Baron  Grumkow  lied. 
My  words  referred  to  his  informants.  If  your 
Majesty  wishes  me  to  explain  to  the  baron,  I 
shall  be  glad  to  do  so." 

While  Henry  and  the  King  were  talking, 
Grumkow  appeared  on  a  distant  part  of  the 
parade  ground,  and  the  king  sent  an  aide-de- 
camp to  fetch  him.  When  Grumkow  came,  the 
king,  placing  his  hand  on  Henry's  shoulder, 
said: 

"This  man  tells  me  he  had  no  thought  of 
intimating  that  you  lied.  His  denunciation  was 
against  those  who  reported  falsely  to  you." 

"I  beg  that  you  will  accept  my  explanation, 
offered  through  his  Majesty,  and  that  you  will 
allow  me  to  apologize  if  my  words  seemed  in 
any  way  disrespectful  to  you,"  said  Henry. 


OF   OLD  BRANDENBURG          235 

Grumkow  muttered  something  to  the  effect 
that  the  explanation  was  satisfactory,  asked 
the  king's  leave  to  depart,  and  rode  away. 

"I'm  afraid  your  apology  was  wasted,"  said 
the  king,  laughing.  "Apologies  are  useless, 
as  a  rule,  especially  with  men  of  Grumkow 's 
stamp.  I  tell  you,  young  man,  lead  and  steel 
are  the  only  antidotes  for  the  poison  of  a  heart 
filled  with  hatred." 

Again  it  seemed  that  Grumkow 's  favor  was 
tottering,  but  as  the  king  had  said,  the  unscrup- 
ulous minister  was  always  able  to  right  himself. 

Up  to  that  time,  Henry  had  believed  that  in 
all  the  world  there  was  no  heart  more  com- 
pletely filled  with  the  poison  of  hatred  than 
Frederick  William's.  But  the  king's  words 
threw  new  light  on  his  character,  and  Henry 
concluded  that  his  Majesty's  great  faults  were 
owing  less  to  hatred  in  the  heart  than  to  a  touch 
of  madness  in  the  brain.  Upon  that  weakness 
Grumkow  played,  and  was  able  to  impose  his 
own  hatreds  on  the  king.  Frederick  William, 
though  always  violent,  seemed  rational  and 
sane  on  all  subjects  save  the  Crown  Prince  and 
Wilhelmina.  His  treatment  of  them  was  a 
series  of  unique  cruelties,  in  matters  large  and 
small,  which  could  have  proceeded  from  none 
but  a  disordered  mind. 


236  A   GENTLE   KNIGHT 

One  day,  while  the  king  and  his  favorite  cap-, 
tain  were  on  a  flying  visit  to  Berlin,  his  Majesty 
honored  Henry  with  an  invitation  to  dine  at  the 
royal  table.  It  was  an  honor  granted  to  few 
and  dreaded  by  every  one.  The  dinner  hour 
was  noon.  In  the  king's  eyes,  punctuality  was 
a  cardinal  virtue,  and  to  be  late  was  to  be 
damned — by  his  Majesty.  Dinner  being  an- 
nounced, the  king  and  the  queen  led  the  way  to 
the  table.  When  they  reached  the  dining  room, 
Don't  Care  asked  maliciously: 

"Where  are  Fritz  and  Mina?" 

"Yes,  where  are  they?"  demanded  the  king, 
taking  his  place,  and  signifying  by  a  gesture 
that  the  others  were  to  be  seated.  Hardly  were 
the  queen,  Don't  Care  and  Henry  in  their  chairs 
when  the  king  began  mumbling  the  long  grace 
that  invariably  preceded  meat — perhaps  it 
would  be  more  exact  to  say  vegetables — at  the 
royal  table. 

In  the  midst  of  grace,  the  Crown  Prince  and 
Wilhelmina  entered  the  dining  room  and  paused 
till  the  prayer  was  ended.  When  the  king  said 
"Amen",  they  hastened  to  their  places  at  the 
table.  Henry  rose  while  they  were  being 
seated,  but  the  king  growled  out: 

"Keep  your  chair.     A  decent  man  need  not 


OF   OLD  BRANDENBURG          237 

rise  to  a  hussy  and  a  rascal  who  are  always 
late,  late,  late." 

When  the  prince  and  the  princess  were 
seated,  Henry  resumed  his  chair  and  viewed 
the  table.  The  dishes  were  of  massive  silver 
and  gold,  hut  there  was  no  table  cloth,  and  the 
table  itself  was  of  cheap  wood.  Silver  and  gold 
could  be  coined  into  marks,  crowns  and  pistoles, 
and  in  no  other  palace  in  Europe  was  there 
plate  equaling  in  value  that  to  be  found  in  Ber- 
lin and  Potsdam.  Fine  wood,  linen  and  other 
articles  to  beautify  the  palace  were  not  coin- 
able  ;  consequently  the  king  wasted  no  money  on 
them,  but  in  silver  and  gold  he  was  both  prodi- 
gal and  miserly.  On  the  table  was  one  large 
plate  of  bread,  and  in  front  of  the  king  were 
two  massive  covers,  in  which  Henry  supposed 
the  dinner  was  stored.  His  Majesty  served  all 
dishes,  for  the  reason  that  he  wished  to  avoid 
waste  and  over-feeding. 

After  grace,  the  king  ordered  a  lackey  to 
remove  the  cover  from  one  of  the  dishes  in 
front  of  his  plate,  and  Henry  beheld  a  small 
lump  of  boiled  pork.  From  this  the  king  carved 
a  small  piece  for  the  queen,  another  for  Don't 
Care,  a  large  cut  for  the  guest,  and  a  larger  one 
for  Majesty.  Then  the  meat  dish  was  covered, 
a  signal  that  it  was  to  be  removed  and  the  con- 


238  A   GENTLE    KNIGHT 

tents  kept  for  supper.  If  an  ounce  of  the  pork 
were  lacking  when  served  at  the  evening  meal, 
Frederick  William  would  detect  the  theft,  create 
a  great  storm,  and  if  possible,  punish  the  thief. 
Fritz  and  Mina  sat  holding  their  hands,  while 
the  others  at  table  ate  the  meat. 

When  the  first  course  was  finished,  other 
plates  were  brought  in,  and  the  second  dish,  a 
very  large  one  filled  with  cabbage,  was  uncov- 
ered. The  king,  who  had  been  mumbling  ever 
since  Fritz  and  Mina  had  taken  their  seats, 
bountifully  helped  himself,  the  queen,  Don't 
Care  and  Henry  to  cabbage,  and  placed  a  small 
portion  on  a  plate  intended  for  the  Crown 
Prince.  By  the  time  his  Majesty  had  served 
Wilhelmina's  plate,  anger  had  gathered  in  his 
brain,  and  before  the  lackey  could  take  the  plate 
from  the  table,  irate  Majesty  seized  it,  rose  to 
his  feet  and  hurled  it,  cabbage  and  all,  at  the 
prince's  head.  Fritz  dodged  the  plate  and  it 
fell  to  the  floor.  Poor  Mina  restrained  her 
tears  and  sat  motionless,  waiting  for  the  tirade 
of  abuse  she  knew  would  come. 

"I'll  teach  you  to  be  late,"  shouted  the  king, 
"you  laggard,  lazy — lazy — " 

But  the  king's  wrath  was  stemmed  by  seeing 
Henry  rise,  take  his  own  plate  of  cabbage  and 
place  it  before  the  princess.  While  Henry  was 


OF    OLD   BBANDENBUBG          239 

resuming  his  seat,  the  king  scowled  angrily, 
seemed  about  to  explode,  changed  his  mind, 
laughed,  struck  the  table  a  blow  with  his  fist 
and  said: 

"Gott!  He  isn't  afraid  of  anything — noth- 
ing in  heaven,  earth  or  hell.  Bring  another 
plate."  So  the  dinner  proceeded. 

It  is  difficult  to  believe  that  such  a  scene  could 
have  taken  place  at  a  court  where  even  a  meager 
civilization  prevailed,  but  it  was  of  almost  daily 
occurrence  in  the  household  of  Frederick 
William. 

The  life  of  the  Princess  Wilhelmina  was  so 
full  of  unhappiness  that  it  is  a  pleasure  to 
chronicle  even  a  moment  of  joy. 

After  the  first  visit  to  Doris  Bitter,  the  prince 
had  promised  Henry  that  another  call  should 
be  made  with  Wilhelmina  as  their  companion. 
The  king  was  pleased  when  his  family  paid 
attention  to  the  citizens  of  Berlin.  He  wanted 
the  love  of  the  burghers,  and  won  it  by 
practicing  a  kindliness  shown  in  no  other 
quarter,  Henry  had  learned  this  fact,  so  when 
Fritz  proposed  another  visit  to  Bitter's,  he 
suggested : 

"There  is  no  need  for  secrecy  in  making  the 


240  A   GENTLE   KNIGHT 

visit.     Your  father,  if  notified,  will  be  pleased 
rather  than  displeased." 

"But  I  don't  want  to  please  him,"  returned 
the  Crown  Prince. 

"Be  advised,"  insisted  Henry.  "Let  me  ask 
the  king's  permission  to  accompany  you  and 
your  sister  to  Bitter's.  To  be  plain,  I  do  not 
like  to  go  without  it.  My  request  will  inform 
his  Majesty  of  your  intended  visit,  and  will 
remove  all  danger  of  arousing  his  ire.  I  can 
say  to  his  Majesty  that  the  prince  and  the 
princess,  desiring  to  please  their  father,  wish 
to  make  the  call  if  it  meets  with  the  king's 
approval. ' ' 

"Wilhelmina,  who  was  present  during  this 
conversation,  was  happy  over  the  prospect  of 
spending  a  pleasant  evening  at  Bitter's  with 
Henry. 

"Please  be  advised,  brother,"  she  exclaimed, 
delightedly;  "we  shall  enjoy  the  evening  a  great 
deal  more  if  we  do  not  have  the  dread  of  the 
king's  wrath  always  present  to  rob  each  mo- 
ment of  a  part  of  its  pleasure.  I  beg  you, 
brother,  listen  to  our  friend  and  let  him  go  to 
the  king." 

Fritz  consented,  and  when  Henry  asked  per- 
mission of  the  king  to  go  with  the  prince  and 


OF    OLD  BRANDENBURG         241 

the  princess,  his  Majesty  not  only  granted  it, 
but  was  pleased. 

"I  am  glad  for  you  to  take  them  among 
decent  common  people,"  he  said.  "If  I  can 
keep  you  here  and  can  induce  that  rascally  son 
of  mine  to  listen  to  you,  you  may  be  able  to 
make  something  of  him." 

The  Margrave  of  Schwedt,  who  passionately 
loved  music,  heard  of  the  approaching  visit  and 
offered  to  join  the  party. 

"I  love  music,  and  I  can  sing,"  he  said,  plead- 
ingly. Fritz  and  Mina  smiled.  The  Mar- 
grave turned  wistfully  to  the  princess,  laughed 
nervously,  and  explained: 

"Yes,  yes,  I  can  sing — some.  Perhaps  you 
would  not  like  my  singing,  but  I  like  it  and  my 
mother  likes  it.  My  mother  and  I  are  fond  of 
music,  and  I  should  like  very  much  to  go  with 
you  to  Fraulein  Ritter's.  I  have  been  told  she 
plays  beautifully  on  the  harpsichord,  and  sings 
beautifully  with — with — her — well,  of  course 
she  sings  with  her  voice.  May  I  have  the  great 
pleasure?" 

"You  are  at  liberty  to  come  with  us,"  said 
Wilhelmina. 

"I  shall  be  delighted,  Margrave,"  said 
Henry,  "and  I  am  sure  the  Crown  Prince 
will—" 

16 


242  A   GENTLE    KNIGHT 

"Oh,  yes,  come  along  if  you  wish.  It  will  be 
dull  enough,  God  knows,  and  you  cannot  mar 
it,"  said  the  Crown  Prince,  for  whom  the  lack 
of  secrecy  had  robbed  the  adventure  of  its 
pleasure. 

So  it  was  arranged,  and  on  the  appointed 
evening  the  Margrave  appeared,  elegantly 
dressed — from  his  standpoint — and  compara- 
tively sober. 

"You  see  how  greatly  I  value  the  privilege 
of  accompanying  you,"  said  Adolph,  address- 
ing the  Crown  Prince,  the  princess  and  Henry. 
"I'm  almost  sober.  I  drank  no  more  than  four 
quarts  of  beer  this  afternoon.  Saving  you 
three  persons,  there  is  not  another  on  earth, 
except  my  mother,  for  whom  I  would  make  the 
sacrifice. ' ' 

Just  after  dark  the  friends  started  on  foot 
for  Bitter's  house.  The  Crown  Prince  and 
Wilhelmina  walked  in  front,  and  Henry,  with 
the  fat  Margrave  panting  by  his  side,  followed 
at  a  short  distance. 

"I  want  to  thank  you  for  past  favors,"  said 
Adolph,  breathing  heavily;  "and  I  want  to 
bespeak  a  new  lot." 

"I  shall  be  delighted  to  do  you  any  favor  in 
my  power,"  answered  Henry.  "I  can't  recall 


OF    OLD   BRANDENBURG          243 

having  had  the  privilege  of  favoring  you  here- 
tofore." 

"But  you  have  favored  me,"  gasped  Adolph, 
hanging  on  to  Henry's  arm,  and  trying  very 
hard  to  keep  up  with  his  companions. 

A  weak  heart  and  the  "worst  feet  in  Ger- 
many" made  walking  very  arduous  work  for 
the  Margrave.  When  he  recovered  his  breath 
he  continued:  "You  have  favored  me.  The 
beautiful  princess  says  you  always  speak  kindly 
of  me.  You  have  never  ridiculed  me  to  her  nor 
to  any  one ;  you  never  try  to  make  me  look  as  if 
I  were  a  fool.  You  always  treat  me  kindly, 
respectfully,  considerately,  and  you  are  the  only 
person,  except  the  princess  and  my  mother,  that 
does.  Other  persons  seem  to  think  that  because 
I  am  grotesque  in  form  and  face — mein  Gott, 
every  way — I  am  a  fish  or  a  reptile,  having  not 
the  feelings  and  sensations  of  a  human  being. 
The  Crown  Prince  sneers  at  me,  and  even  since 
the  great  service  I  rendered  him  at  The  Ta- 
bagie,  does  not  try  to  conceal  his  contempt. 
Every  one  else  follows  his  example,  but  that 
little  Don't  Care  is  the  worst  of  all.  I  hate 
her— a  little." 

"She  has  certainly  a  great  deal  of  mischief 
and  some  malice  in  her  heart,"  said  Henry. 

"Yes,  she  is  a  little  devil,"  returned  Adolph 


244  A   GENTLE    KNIGHT 

emphatically.  "In  truth,  my  friend,  no  one 
knows  me  as  you  and  my  mother  do,  and  that 
makes  me  your  slave.  I  love  first  the  beautiful 
princess;  I  love  next,  you,  and  then,  alas,  my 
mother,  who  should  come  first,  is  third.  There 
is  nothing  I  would  not  do  for  you,  yet  I  fear  I 
shall  never  have  an  opportunity  to  prove  the 
truth  of  my  words." 

But  the  Margrave  was  mistaken ;  a  wonderful 
opportunity  came  later  on. 

"What  is  the  favor  you  want  at  my  hands?" 
asked  Henry,  wishing  to  stem  the  torrent  of 
Adolph's  affections. 

"It  is  this,"  panted  Adolph.  "I  cannot  make 
my  love  to  the  beautiful  princess.  When  I  try, 
I  fail  of  speech,  though  at  other  times  I  am  as 
fluent  as  a  mill  sluice,  and  talk  easily  and— 
much.  I  want  to  ask  you  to  try,  if  possible, 
to  do  this  thing  for  me.  I  want  you  to  arrange 
to  have  the  princess  alone  with  you  for  a  time, 
and  I  want  you  to  say  to  her  for  me — for  me. 
Please  say  to  her  that  I  love  her — I  adore  her ; 
that  all  the  day  is  but  one  dream  of  her,  and 
that  just  as  long  as  I  am  sober  I  think  only  of 
her  and  see  her  sweet  face  in  everything  of 
beauty  I  behold.  For  me  she  is  the  rose,  the 
trees,  the  soft,  green  grass ;  she  is  the  sun  with 
its  brightness  and  its  warmth ;  she  is  the  royal 


OF    OLD   BRANDENBURG         245 

moon  in  her  queendom  of  the  night;  she  is  the 
stars  sparkling  in  the  firmament,  sending  their 
messages  on  the  wings  of  light  from  the  utter- 
most confines  of  space,  and  from  the  very  heart 
of  the  Infinite  God.  Ach,  my  friend !  At  times 
my  burden  of  love  is  as  if  the  whole  earth  lay 
upon  my  breast.  Again,  as  if  on  pinions  of 
the  seraphim,  it  wafts  me  to  the  steps  of  the 
great  white  throne.  I  am  her  knight,  I  am  her 
slave.  Can  you  remember,  or  shall  I  repeat?'* 

"I'll  try,  if  the  opportunity  comes,"  an- 
swered Henry. 

The  Margrave  was  asking  a  greater  favor 
than  he  knew,  but  Henry  promised  to  convey 
the  message  to  Wilhelmina,  intending  to  keep 
his  word  to  the  letter,  and  in  the  spirit  as  nearly 
as  possible. 

Soon  after  the  visitors  arrived,  Fritz,  with 
his  beloved  flute,  went  with  Doris  to  the  harp- 
sichord, and  soon  was  lost  in  music.  The 
evening  was  warm,  and  of  course  the  Margrave 
suffered  intensely  from  the  heat.  Presently 
he  left  the  room  through  an  open  window, 
and  after  wandering  in  the  garden  for  a  time, 
returned. 

During  a  lull  in  the  music,  he  turned  to  Wil- 
helmina and  Henry,  saying: 

"There  is  a  beautiful  summer-house  just  by 


246  A   GENTLE   KNIGHT 

the  window,  where  we  can  hear  the  music  and 
enjoy  the  cool  air.  Will  you  come  with  me  and 
sit  there?" 

Ah,  the  adroit  Adolph !  Leave  him  alone  to 
find  the  way  when  a  lady  was  to  be  won  by  sheer 
force  of  intellect. 

Wilhelmina  hesitated,  but  when  the  Mar- 
grave insisted,  she  looked  inquiringly  at  Henry, 
and  seeing  approval  in  his  face,  rose,  saying : 

"I  believe  it  will  be  cooler  there  than  in  the 
house.  My  brother  and  Doris  don't  seem  to 
need  us,  and  we  can  hear  the  music  through  the 
open  window.  Let  us  go." 

Accordingly,  the  three  went  to  the  summer- 
house  and  listened  to  the  music.  After  a  few 
minutes  the  Margrave — the  adroit,  the  knowing 
Adolph — excused  himself,  rose  and  left. 

After  a  long  awkward  pause,  Henry  said: 

"I  suppose  I  ought  to  tell  you  that  you  are 
here  alone  with  me  because  of  a  deep-laid  plot 
on  the  part  of  the  Margrave." 

"If  my  being  here  is  the  result  of  a  plot,  I 
ought  to  return  to  the  house  at  once, ' '  answered 
Wilhelmina,  who  quite  naturally  resented  any 
arrangement  between  Henry  and  the  Margrave 
relating  to  her. 

"You  need  not  be  afraid  that  I  shall  forget 
myself.  There  is  no  plot  in  the  sense  in  which 


OF    OLD    BRANDENBUBG          247 

you  fear  it,  but  I  believe  the  Margrave's  scheme 
and  his  unique  request  for  my  services  will 
interest  you  if  you  wish  to  remain  and  hear  of 
them." 

"I'll  gladly  remain,"  responded  the  princess, 
resuming  her  seat.  "I  was  startled  by  what 
you  said,  but  again  I  find  myself  asking  for- 
giveness. That  seems  to  be  my  chief  occupa- 
tion where  you  are  concerned." 

"There  is  nothing  to  forgive,  and  your  High- 
ness is  too  kind  to  me." 

"Please  do  not  speak  so  formally;  we  are 
friends." 

Henry  hesitated  as  if  trying  to  check  words 
that  were  on  his  lips,  but  he  failed. 

"To  hear  you  say  that  we  are  friends  is 
sweeter  to  my  ears  than — than —  But  let  me 
tell  you  about  the  Margrave's  plan." 

"Yes,  yes,  tell  me,"  said  Wilhelmina,  evi- 
dently relieved  at  the  prospect  of  changing  the 
subject. 

"The  Margrave  asked  me  to  make  love  to 
you  on  his  behalf,"  said  Henry. 

Wilhelmina  laughed  nervously,  and  after  two 
or  three  false  starts,  succeeded  in  saying  just 
what  she  had  intended  leaving  unsaid: 

"The  Margrave  did  not  know  what  he  was 
asking,  did  he?  It  certainly  is  a  unique  situa- 


248  A   GENTLE   KNIGHT 

tion  when  a  man  asks  another  to  make  love  for 
him  to  the  lady  with  whom  the  other  man,  him- 
self, is — the  other  man  himself  is — " 

She  had  not  foreseen  the  end  of  what  she  had 
set  out  to  say,  so  she  stopped  suddenly  in  con- 
fusion. Henry  did  not  show  that  he  saw  the 
significance  of  her  unguarded  words,  but  pro- 
ceeded to  do  his  duty  as  love's  attorney. 

* '  He  told  me  to  tell  you  that  for  him  you  were 
the  rose,  the  trees,  the  grass.  As  nearly  as  I 
can  remember,  he  said  you  were  also  the  sun 
and  the  stars,  bringing  to  his  heart  on  the 
wings  of  light  their  messages  from  the  confines 
of  infinite  space,  aye,  even  from  the  heart  of 
God.  Part  of  the  time  the  Margrave's  love 
lies  on  his  breast  as  if  it  were  the  whole  earth, 
and  again  it  bears  him  on  the  wings  of  seraphim 
to  the  foot  of  the  great  white  throne.  He  is 
your  knight — your  gentle  knight — your  slave. 
I  cannot  remember  all  he  said,  and  I  feel  almost 
guilty  of  bad  faith  in  ridiculing  him,  for 
he  spoke  beautifully,  tenderly,  passionately. 
There  is  no  doubt  that  he  loves  you  with  a 
rare,  noble  passion.  The  poor,  grotesque  Mar- 
grave is  not  a  fool,  and  his  heart  is  that  of  a 
gentle  child.  T  love  him.  I  would  almost  give 
my  life  if,  by  doing  so,  I  could  bring  you  to  love 
him.  You  will  soon  have  to  choose  between 


OF    OLD    BRANDENBUBG          249 

him  and  Weissenfels.  There  is,  of  course,  but 
one  choice — Adolph — and  I  wish  that  you  could 
see  him  with  my  eyes  and  could  give  him  your 
heart." 

"You  might  as  well  wish  that  I  could  fly  to 
the  sun,  and  you  had  far  better  wish  that  I 
were  dead,"  answered  Wilhelmina. 

"At  times,  I  almost  wish  that  you  could  die," 
returned  Henry,  "for  the  unhappiness  before 
you  seems  more  than  I  can  bear.  One  pang 
that  you  will  suffer  will  be  a  thousand  for  me, 
and  when  I  think  of  it  all,  I  feel  that  I  do  not 
want  to  live ;  but  unfortunately  one  cannot  have 
death  simply  by  wishing  for  it.  My  love  for 
you  has  brought  me  greater  pain  than  I  have 
ever  before  known.  I  could  endure  my  own 
suffering  with  fortitude  if  I  knew  that  you  were 
happy,  but  to  love  you  as  I  do,  with  my  whole 
soul,  with  every  drop  of  blood  in  my  veins,  to 
hold  you  dearer  than  life  itself,  is— 

Henry  rose  hurriedly,  and  continued  with 
perceptible  effort:  "I  said  I  would  not  again 
forget  myself,  but  I  did.  I  should  have  been 
strong  enough  to  resist — for  your  sake  and  for 
my  own.  I  am  not  to  be  trusted  and  I  had 
better  leave  you." 

He  turned  to  go,  but  the  girl  rose,  caught  his 
hand,  and  whispered: 


250  A   GENTLE    KNIGHT 

"Don't  go.  Eemain  with  me  just  this  one 
minute,  and — and — " 

Her  sentence  was  never  finished.  Henry 
caught  her  in  his  arms,  and  covered  her  lips, 
her  eyes,  her  face  with  kisses.  When  he  re- 
leased her,  she  sat  down,  hiding  her  face  in  her 
hands. 

"Do  not  weep,"  pleaded  Henry,  drawing  her 
to  him.  "Do  not  weep,  but  take  the  joy  that 
has  been  vouchsafed  to  us.  It  is  all  that  we 
shall  ever  know.  This  moment  and  its  memory 
will  help  to  sweeten  the  rest  of  our  lives.  Do 
not  lose  one  drop  from  the  precious  cup  it 
offers.  Drink  it,  my  love,  and  believe  me,  in 
all  your  life  to  come,  its  memory  will  fill  your 
heart  with  a  gladness  that  no  one  can  take 
from  you." 

"My  heart  is  full  of  gladness  now,"  answered 
the  girl.  * '  There  is  room  for  nothing  else.  My 
tears  are  tears  of  joy,  for  I  love  you  and  I  know 
that  you  love  me.  I  have  often  dreamed  of 
a  moment  like  this — I  suppose  every  girl  has 
— but  I  never  hoped  it  would  come  to  me.  Now 
I  am  ready  to  meet  my  fate.  None  but  God  can 
rob  me  of  my  joy,  and  I  know  He  would  not,  for 
He  has  sent  it  to  me  to  give  me  strength  against 
the  misery  that  is  in  store  for  me." 

Henry  and  Wilhelmina  drank  from  their  cup 


OF   OLD   BRANDENBURG         251 

of  joy  till  the  music  ceased ;  then  they  rose,  in- 
tending to  return  to  the  house.  As  they  were 
leaving  the  summer-house,  Henry  clasped  the 
girl  in  his  arms  and  was  kissing  her  lips,  when 
Adolph,  whom  they  had  forgotten,  suddenly 
appeared  on  the  scene. 

"Ach,  Gott!"  exclaimed  the  astonished  Mar- 
grave, staring  aghast  at  Henry's  all  too  ardent 
wooing.  "I  did  not  tell  you  to  do  that!  So 
this  is  the  way  you  deliver  my  message !  This 
is  the  way  you  keep  faith  with  a  friend!" 

Henry's  surprise  completely  dammed  the  cur- 
rent of  his  thoughts,  and  for  a  moment  his 
mind  was  a  blank.  "Wilhelmina's  faculties  all 
came  swarming  to  her  rescue. 

"Sit  by  me,  Margrave,  and  I  will  tell  you 
all,"  she  said,  drawing  Adolph  down  beside 
her.  Henry  stood,  dimly  wondering  what  she 
was  going  to  do. 

"Your  friend,  who  is  indeed  your  friend,  has 
kept  faith  with  you,"  she  said,  taking  Adolph 's 
hand ;  ' '  and  has  complied  with  your  absurd  re- 
quest to  the  letter.  He  told  me  of  your  love, 
of  which  I  already  knew,  and  he  repeated  your 
beautiful  words.  Ah,  Margrave,  there  is  no 
one  else  who  can  speak  so  beautifully  as  you." 

It  will  be  seen  that  Wilhelmina  could  use  art 
for  her  purposes  when  occasion  demanded. 


252  A   GENTLE   KNIGHT 

"Now  I  am  going  to  give  you  the  highest  pos- 
sible proof  of  my  confidence  and  esteem,"  she 
continued,  turning  earnestly  to  Adolph.  "This 
man  loves  me  and  I  love  him,  but  our  love  can 
be  only  a  source  of  pain  to  us,  for  we  are  as  far 
from  each  other  as  if  he  were  on  one  side  of  the 
world  and  I  on  the  other." 

"Ach,  yes,  it  is  too  bad,"  sighed  the  gentle 
Margrave,  forgetting  his  own  pain  in  the 
trouble  of  his  friends. 

"Yes,  it  is  the  greatest  misfortune  that  God 
can  send  to  us, ' '  said  Wilhelmina,  ' '  but  we  must 
endure  it,  for  I  can  never  be  his  wife.  You 
already  know  that  I  shall  soon  be  forced  to 
choose  a  husband,  and  that  my  choice  will  lie 
between  you  and  the  Duke  of  Weissenfels.  I 
cannot  give  you  my  heart,  Margrave;  that  is 
beyond  my  power  either  to  give  or  to  withhold, 
but  when  the  time  comes,  I  will  give  you  my 
hand  and  shall  be  your  wife.  Therefore,  have 
pity  on  me  and  do  not  betray  my  secret." 

"Betray  your  secret!"  exclaimed  the  Mar- 
grave, looking  at  her  reproachfully.  "You  do 
not  know  me  yet — already.  Betray  your  secret ! 
Your  'request,  my  beautiful  princess,  is  almost 
an  insult.  I  know  full  well  that  if  you  love  this 
man,  it  is  because  you  cannot  help  it.  You 
would  not  deliberately  bring  it  on  yourself. 


OF    OLD   BRANDENBURG         253 

I  know  he  is  my  friend.  If  he  loves  you,  it 
is  because  he  has  not  the  power  to  withhold  his 
love.  There  are  others — one  other,  at  least — 
who  know  that  terrible  truth  by  heart — my 
heart." 

"I  intended  to  tell  you,  if  I  married  you,'* 
continued  Wilhelmina;  "but  now  you  know  it 
all,  and  when  I  am  your  wife,  this  man  will 
leave  me  and  I  shall  never  see  his  face  again." 

The  girl  covered  her  face  with  her  hands  and 
began  to  weep. 

"When  you  are  my  wife,  he  shall  leave  you," 
said  'the  Margrave,  speaking  gently,  almost 
dreamily.  "Aye,  when  you  are  my  wife,  but — 
but  that  shall  never  be."  After  a  long  pause 
he  continued,  dropping  his  words  slowly,  softly, 
almost  as  one  might  speak  in  sleep.  "I  would 
die  before  I  would  bring  unhappiness  to  you. 
If  you  were  to  marry  me,  loving  another,  your 
heart  would  ache  to  the  day  of  your  death.  No, 
no,  my  beautiful  princess ;  you  do  not  know  me." 

"I  believe  I  have  not  known  you,"  said  Wil- 
helmina, "but  I  am  learning  to  know  you.  You 
are  a  rare,  noble,  generous  man,  a  true,  brave, 
gentle  knight." 

"I  hope  you  are  right,"  sighed  the  Margrave 
"I  try  hard  enough  to  be,  but  I  will  prove  my 
truth  to  you  before  I  have  done.  I  will  go  to 


254  A   GENTLE   KNIGHT 

his  Majesty  to-morrow,  before  he  offers  me 
your  hand,  and  tell  him  that  I  will  not  accept." 

"Then  I  shall  fall  to  the  Duke  of  Weissen- 
fels," said  Wilhelmina,  a  new  vista  of  trouble 
suddenly  opening  before  her. 

"That  is  true.  What  shall  we  do?  Lieber 
Himmel!  What  a  fate  for  a  woman  to  face — 
Weissenfels  or  me!  Well,  I'm  better  than 
Weissenfels,  and  if  the  worst  comes  to  the 
worst,  I  will  accept  you,  and — I  have  it!"  cried 
Adolph,  joyfully;  "your  father  will  order  you 
to  choose  between  Weissenfels  and  me.  You 
choose  me.  We  will  allow  the  preparations  for 
the  marriage  to  go  on,  and  at  the  last  moment, 
I  will  withdraw.  I  will  say:  'No,  no,  I  refuse 
to  marry  this  woman.*  Then  let  them  wonder. 
A  woman  may  be  forced  to  marry  against  her 
will,  but  I  have  never  known  of  a  man  being 
compelled  to  take  a  wife.  That's  it!" — Adolph 
was  now  dancing  about  in  great  glee,  forgetful 
of  his  own  troubles — "That's  it!  You  choose 
me.  That  will  rid  you  of  Weissenfels,  and 
then  I'll  relieve  you  of  myself,  and  you — and 
you  may — may  remain  single. ' ' 

"Will  you  do  that.  Margrave?  Will  you  do 
that  for  me?"  asked  Wilhelmina,  deeply 
touched  by  Adolph 's  chivalric  offer. 

"Indeed,  I  will  do  all  of  that,  and  if  the  king 


OF   OLD   BRANDENBURG         255 

insists  on  your  marriage  to  Weissenfels — Gott, 
I'll  do  more — much!  You  shall  marry  neither 
Weissenfels  nor  me  against  your  will, ' '  said  the 
Margrave,  lifting  his  face  heavenward,  and 
holding  up  his  right  hand.  "I,  Adolph,  by  the 
grace  of  God  Margrave  of  Schwedt  and  Knight 
of  Brandenburg,  do  swear  it  upon  my  knightly 
honor  and  before  my  God!" 

Presently  the  three  conspirators  returned  to 
the  house,  Mina  and  Henry  each  holding  an 
arm  of  the  happy  Margrave. 


CHAPTER  XV 

ADOLPH  IS  VEKY  SAD 

To  what  extent  the  Margrave's  adroit  plan 
could  be  carried  out,  neither  Henry  nor  Wilhel- 
mina  could  know.  They  believed  that  in  case  of 
the  failure  of  the  Schwedtish  marriage,  the  king 
would  fall  back  on  Weissenfels  and  force  the 
princess  to  marry  that  frightful  monstros- 
ity. Marriage  with  Schwedt  or  Weissenfels  was 
the  keystone  of  Grumkow 's  scheme  to  obtain 
control  of  Prussia,  and  no  man  whom  he 
could  not  use  would  answer  his  purposes. 
The  king  was  a  puppet  in  his  hands,  and  would 
move  in  the  affair  of  Wilhelmina's  marriage 
just  as  Grumkow  pulled  the  strings. 

Henry  had  often  thought  of  placing  the 
Eamen  letter  in  the  king's  hands,  but  felt 
sure  Grumkow  would  declare  it  a  forgery,  and 
with  the  help  of  Eamen 's  evidence,  would  con- 
vince Frederick  William  that  it  was  part  of  a 
conspiracy  to  deprive  Prussian  Majesty  of 
the  baron's  valuable  services.  An  instance  of 
the  sort  had  occurred  in  which  Grumkow  braz- 
enly faced  his  own  letter  in  the  king's  hands, 
declared  it  to  be  a  forgery,  and  succeeded  in 


OF    OLD   BRANDENBURG          257 

sending  the  informer  to  the  Spandau  dungeons 
for  life.  To  try  to  use  Grumkow's  letter  would 
be  a  dangerous  move  until  there  was  corro- 
borative evidence  so  convincing  that  the  king 
could  not  refuse  to  accept  it.  Henry  kept  the 
letter  securely,  however,  hoping  to  use  it  to 
frighten  Grumkow  and  to  bring  him  to  terms, 
rather  than  to  convict  him  in  the  king's  eyes. 

Henry  did  not  see  the  Margrave  for  several 
days  after  the  interesting  interview  in  Ritter's 
summer-house,  and  often  found  himself  won- 
dering what  his  attitude  would  be.  But  when 
the  two  friends  met  one  afternoon  in  Henry's 
room,  his  mind  was  at  once  put  to  rest  by 
Adolph's  cordiality. 

"Ach,  my  friend,"  cried  the  Margrave, 
eagerly  holding  out  both  hands;  "I  have  not 
seen  you  for  so  long  a  time  that  it  rests  my 
poor  eyes  to  look  upon  you." 

"I  thank  you,  Margrave.  I  have  been  in 
Potsdam,  and  am  here  now  only  on  a  flying 
visit.  I  have  been  wondering — 

"  Please  drop  the  'Margrave'.  I  am 
Adolph." 

"Gladly,"  returned  Henry.  "I  have  been 
wondering  what  had  become  of  you,  and  I — " 

"Stop,"  cried  Adolph.    "I  know  what  else 

17 


258  A   GENTLE   KNIGHT 

you  wondered,  and  I  know  what  you  feared,  too, 
my  captain.  You  wondered  if  I  hated  you  for 
what  happened  at  Bitter's.  Now,  the  truth, 
please.  Did  you  not?" 

"I  did  fear  I  might  lose  your  friendship," 
answered  Henry,  "and  I  should  not  have 
blamed  you  in  any  way  had  you  felt  unkindly 
toward  me.  You  cannot  understand  how  it 
was,  Margrave." 

"Adolph,"  interrupted  the  Margrave. 

"You  cannot  understand,  Adolph — " 
("That's  better,"  said  the  Margrave)  " — un- 
derstand how  it  all  came  about.  It  was  un- 
premeditated, and  happened  without  the  least 
intention  on  the  part  of  either  the  princess  or 
myself.  In  truth,  it  happened  against  our 
wills." 

"I  am  sure  it  was  not  because  you  willed  it," 
replied  the  Margrave,  laying  his  hand  on 
Henry's  arm.  "I  can  well  see  how  it  might 
happen  with  you,  but,  Gott  mein!  How  I  have 
to  work  for  those  favors,  even  from  a  barmaid 
— yes.  work  and  scheme,  and  lay  deep  plots,  and 
then  on  top  of  all  I  have  to  pay — yes,  I  have  to 
pay,  by  the  devil !  Have  to  pay  for  a  barmaid's 
kiss!  Ach,  I  told  my  mother  I  was  a  fool  to 
try  to  win  the  princess,  but  I  was  a  greater  fool 
after  I  came  to  Berlin  to  allow  the  princess's 


OF    OLD   BRANDENBURG          259 

kindness  to  set  my  heart  fluttering  with  hope. 
You  know  I  told  you  at  the  inn  about  my  wits. ' ' 

"Yes." 

"Well,  I  was  mistaken  in  them.  If  I  ever 
had  any,  they  deserted  me  when  I  came  to  Ber- 
lin. A  fool  always  overrates  himself,  and — and 
besides,  I  don't  mind  telling  you  I've  been  too 
sober." 

"Indeed?"  queried  Henry,  laughing.  "I 
thought  you  had  been  well  supplied  with  beer. ' ' 

"That  is  true,"  responded  Adolph.  "But 
there  was  a  mistake.  My  mother,  who  seems  to 
have  gone  all  wrong,  kept  saying,  'Drink  easy, 
Adolph,  drink  easy.  Till  all  is  arranged, 
drink  easy.'  Well,  I  drank  easy,  and  Himmel! 
What  is  the  result?  You  see — a  mess.  But  I 
love  her,  even  if  she  did  lead  me  wrong." 

Adolph  laughed  softly,  and  after  a  long, 
meditative  pause,  continued: 

"But  I've  made  up  for  lost  time  since  I've 
learned  surely  that  the  princess  is  not  for  me. 
I've  been  drunk  three  whole  days.  Three! 
The  king  is  so  stingy  that  I  can't  get  the  kind 
of  beer  I  need  at  the  palace,  so  I  even  went  into 
the  city  to  the  Big  Sausage  Inn — Zur  Groszen 
Wurst,  we  Germans  call  it — yes,  by  the  devil,  I 
did,  and  I  bought  my  beer.  It  is  better  beer 
than  they  give  me  at  the  palace.  It  is  good 


260  A   GENTLE   KNIGHT 

beer.  You  would  like  it.  The  king  won't  let 
his  own  brewers  make  good  beer;  it  is  too 
expensive.  You  don't  know  the  extent  of 
the  favor  I  did  you  by  drinking  your  beer  at 
The  Tabagie  that  night  of  the  flare-up.  The 
beer  at  The  Tabagie  is  the  vilest  stuff  that  ever 
went  by  a  good  name." 

The  Margrave,  though  sober,  seemed  happy, 
and  Henry  was  glad  to  know  that  his  Serene 
Highness  was  not  grieving  for  the  sake  of  the 
princess  he  had  lost.  At  times  when  Adolph 
was  silent  a  veil  of  sadness  spread  over  his 
face,  and  Henry  caught  himself  wondering  if 
the  happy  manner  was  assumed.  Now  and 
then  a  sigh  would  rise  to  Adolph 's  lips,  deep 
and  long,  as  if  it  had  come  all  the  way  from  the 
bottom  of  his  gentle  heart,  but  the  jovial  man- 
ner soon  returned,  and  Henry's  fears  that  the 
Margrave  was  acting  a  part  were  allayed. 
Henry  was  glad  to  know  that  Adolph 's  heart 
was  not  breaking,  but  was  surprised  and  some- 
what amused  to  learn  that  his  love,  seemingly 
so  deep  and  genuine,  had  so  quickly  evaporated. 

When  Henry  congratulated  the  Margrave  on 
his  lucky  escape  from  the  pain  of  unrequited 
love,  the  good  fellow  answered  with  a  laugh,  a 
sigh  and  a  shrug  of  the  shoulders : 

"Ach,  what  matters  it?    The  thing  that  pains 


OF   OLD   BRANDENBURG          261 

me  most  is  the  thought  that  I  have  made  a  fool 
of  myself  in  the  eyes  of  you  and  the  princess." 

"In  what  respect  have  you  made  a  fool  of 
yourself  in  our  eyes?"  asked  Henry. 

1 '  First,  as  I  told  my  mother,  I  was  a  fool  for 
imagining  that  I  might  win  the  heart  of  the 
princess.  That  hallucination  was  partly  my 
mother's  fault,  though  I  don't  blame  her.  I 
would  not  say,  'She  did  tempt  me'.  I  am  not 
of  the  race  of  Adam.  No!  My  people  came 
from  Nod — plain,  simple  folks  who  knew  no 
Eden  and  made  no  trouble — where  Cain  got  his 
wife.  No,  I  do  not  blame  her.  Her  mistake 
had  its  birth  in  a  heart  of  love,  and  love  sancti- 
fies everything.  She  told  me  that  only  a  woman 
could  know  a  woman's  heart.  Ach,  der  Teufel! 
The  poor  old  woman  meant  well,  but  she  doesn't 
know  a  woman's  heart  from  a  pig's  foot.  I  am 
beginning  to  believe  that  no  woman  knows  an- 
other woman's  heart.  Each  woman's  heart  is 
a  new  secret  in  the  universe,  and  remains  hid- 
den till  the  seal  is  broken  by  one  man.  Then, 
in  many  cases,  I  believe  it  closes  itself  against 
all  the  rest  of  the  world  for  all  time,  though  to 
him  it  may  remain  an  open  book.  My  first  mis- 
take was  made  because  I  did  not  know  all  these 
big,  little  facts.  Against  my  judgment,  I  be- 
lieved my  mother." 


262  A   GENTLE   KNIGHT 

"Many  a  man  has  fallen  into  the  same 
errors,"  suggested  Henry. 

"Yes,  yes,"  returned  Adolph,  "and  each 
man,  I  suppose,  thinks  he  suffers  alone.  My 
second  mistake  was  made  in  trusting  a  man 
who  I  knew  was  in  love  with  the  woman  I  loved. 
That  was  a  grave  error.  But  I  fell  into  it  be- 
cause I  was  too  sober.  I  had  no  right  to  expect 
fidelity  in  such  a  case." 

"Did  you  know  that  I  loved  the  princess?" 
asked  Henry. 

"Yes,"  replied  the  Margrave.  "I  knew  that 
you  could  not  help  it.  No  man  can  who  once 
sees  and  feels  the  sweetness  of  her  smile.  But 
I  thought  you  were  of  low  degree — I  don't 
understand  how  I  made  that  mistake,  either, 
and — and — well,  as  I  have  said,  I  was  a  fool 
and  that  tells  it  all."  He  sat  blinking,  think- 
ing and  whistling  softly  for  a  moment,  then 
turned  quickly  on  Henry  and  spoke  almost 
sharply.  "I  should  not  have  trusted  you.  It 
was  a  greater  test  of  friendship  than  I  had  any 
right  to  make." 

"But  your  doing  so  lost  you  nothing,"  sug- 
gested Henry. 

"Because  I  had  nothing  to  lose,"  returned 
the  Margrave. 

After  a  long  silence,  Henry  asked:  "Why  do 


OF   OLD   BRANDENBURG          263 

you  say  you  made  a  mistake  in  supposing  me 
to  be  of  low  degree  ? ' ' 

"Why?  Because,  being  a  fairly  good  judge 
of  human  nature,  I  needed  only  to  open  my  eyes 
to  learn  the  truth. " 

"What  is  the  truth,  Margrave?" 

"How  can  I  tell?"  asked  Adolph,  shrugging 
his  shoulders.  "I  am  not  a  wizard.  I  know 
what  you  are,  but  who  you  are  I  cannot  know 
unless  you  wish  to  tell  me.  The  puzzling  fact 
is  that  you  were  kidnaped.  It  is  hard  for  me 
to  understand  how  one  of  your  rank  fell  into 
the  recruiter's  net,  and  why,  being  netted,  you 
did  not  flounce  out.  But  nothing  that  this  mad 
king  does  should  cause  me  to  wonder.  If 
King  George  of  England  were  six  feet  tall, 
by  the  devil,  I  believe  our  king  would  have  him 
in  his  regiment.  I'm  expecting,  one  of  these 
fine  days,  to  walk  down  the  parade  line  and  find 
August  of  Saxony  or  Henry  of  Bayreuth  in  the 
ranks.  It  is  said  they  are  both  over  six  feet." 

Another  long  silence  ensued,  and  Henry  said, 
musingly:  "I  have  half  a  mind  to  trust  you 
with  my  secret — to  tell  you  who  I  am." 

"A  man  should  not  trust  another  when  both 
are  in  love  with  the  same  woman,"  suggested 
the  Margrave,  laughing  and  shrugging  his 
shoulders.  "That,  you  know,  is  a  lesson  I  have 


264  A   GENTLE   KNIGHT 

just  learned.  One  naturally  longs  to  impart 
fresh  knowledge.  That  is  why  the  hen  cackles 
when  the  astonishing,  always  new  fact  that  she 
has  laid  an  egg  dawns  on  her  intellect." 

"But  you,  Margrave,  are  not  as  other  men 
are,  and  I  am  going  to  make  amends  for  the 
fault  I  could  not  help  by  making  you  my  con- 
fidant, by  trusting  you  to  an  extent  that  I 
would  trust  no  man  save  my  father.  I  am  the 
Hereditary  Prince  of  Bayreuth." 

"Ach,  GottV  exclaimed  Adolph,  blinking  for 
a  moment,  then  going  to  the  window. 

After  standing  at  the  window  two  or  three 
minutes,  he  came  back,  stopped  in  front  of 
Henry  and  began  to  laugh. 

"So  my  jest  about  August  of  Saxony  may 
after  all  come  to  be  a  fact.  Your  rank  is  equal 
to  that  of  the  King  of  Poland,  though  your 
father's  estate  is  smaller.  But  why  did  you 
come  and  why  do  you  remain?  Ach,  I  know. 
The  princess.  Of  course!  Of  course!  Yes!" 

"She  was  not  the  cause.  There  were  grave 
reasons  why  I  left  home  and  became  an  un- 
known soldier,  but  the  princess  was  no  part  of 
them,  and  I  would  not  have  you  tell  her  who  I 
am." 

"Ill  guard  your  secret,"  said  Adolph.  "It 
seems  almost  a  marvel  that  one  who  talks  as 


OF   OLD   BRANDENBURG          265 

much  as  I  do  should  be  able  to  keep  a  secret, 
but  to  me  the  confidence  of  a  friend  is  a  sacred 
thing." 

"I  believe  you  and  I  believe  in  you,  Mar- 
grave. Read  this  letter.  In  showing  it  to 
you,  I  give  you  the  highest  proof  of  my  faith 
in  your  discretion  and  honor." 

Henry  brought  out  Grumkow's  letter,  and 
the  Margrave  read  it  without  speaking.  After 
the  third  reading,  he  exclaimed: 

tl Ach,  Gott!  This  is  horrible;  and  I  was 
ready  to  be  their  tool.  I  thank  you!  I  thank 
you!  You  should  carry  this  letter  to  the  king 
forthwith." 

"And  go  forthwith  to  Spandau's  dungeons, 
or  fall  by  an  assassin's  knife?"  interrupted 
Henry. 

"Why?"  asked  Adolph. 

"Because,"  said  Henry,  "Grumkow  would 
say  the  letter  was  a  forgery.  He  would  swear 
that  he  had  never  seen  it  before.  Ramen  would 
swear  that  she  had  never  seen  it.  When  it 
came  to  the  test,  Don't  Care  would  swear  that 
she  had  not  given  it  to  me ;  and  the  king  would 
believe  them  all." 

"You  are  right,"  returned  the  Margrave. 

"Yes,  I  am  right,  Margrave,  and  now  you 
are  to  learn  that  there  is  at  least  one  man 


266  A   GENTLE   KNIGHT 

besides  yourself  who  can  at  times  act  from  un- 
selfish, motives.  Deeply  as  I  regret  it,  never- 
theless it  is  true  that  the  princess  can  never  be 
my  wife.  You  are  not  handsome  to  look  upon, 
but  in  many  respects  your  heart  is  the  kindest, 
gentlest  and  noblest  I  have  ever  known.  You 
must  marry  this  beautiful  princess.  It  is  hard 
for  me  to  give  you  this  advice,  but  I  have 
thought  the  situation  over  carefully,  and  there 
is  no  other  course  to  pursue.  You  must  marry 
her  to  save  her  from  a  worse  fate." 

"Ach!    Never!    Never!"  moaned  Adolph. 

"But  you,  too,  must  think,  and  you  must  take 
my  advice,"  insisted  Henry,  grasping  the  Mar- 
grave's arm.  "You  and  I,  who  love  this  girl, 
must  lose  sight  of  ourselves  and  think  only  of 
her.  The  king  will  force  her  to  marry  you  or 
Weissenfels.  You  already  know  Grumkow's 
purpose  in  desiring  one  or  the  other  marriage. 
If  by  any  chance  his  plan  ripens,  and  you  be- 
come King  of  Prussia,  you  will  not  be  his  tool ; 
you  will  be  his  Nemesis." 

"Or  he  will  be  my  Brutus,"  suggested  the 
Margrave,  blinking  rapidly. 

"But  you  must  not  think  of  yourself.  If  you 
are  to  find  your  Brutus,  let  him  come  when  he 
will.  The  princess  only  is  to  be  considered, 
and  you  must  not  forget  that  if  she  does  not 


OF    OLD    BRANDENBURG          267 

become  your  wife,  she  will  fall  to  the  lot  of 
Weissenfels." 

The  Margrave  rose  from  his  chair,  straight- 
ened himself  to  his  greatest  height,  thrust  his 
hand  in  the  breast  of  his  coat,  threw  back  his 
head,  and  answered: 

"You  forget  that  I  have  made  an  oath — 
an  oath  that  the  princess  shall  never  marry 
Weissenfels.  That  oath  settles  the  question." 

"No,  it  does  not,"  returned  Henry.  "There 
is  but  one  way  to  settle  it.  You  must  marry 
the  princess.  Go  to  her  now  and  ask  her 
opinion." 

Adolph's  face  lighted  joyfully  as  he  said: 

"I'll  go  at  once." 

All  of  this  strange  advice  jumped  with 
Adolph's  burning  desire,  making  it  easy  for 
him  to  convince  himself  that  there  was  but  one 
way  to  serve  the  princess;  so  he  went  to  seek 
her,  feeling  alrnpst  happy  once  more. 

It  is  needless  to  try  to  describe  Henry's  state 
of  mind  when  the  Margrave  left  him.  Adolph's 
example  had  been  a  good  one,  and  the  rare 
flower  of  unselfishness  had  bloomed  in  Henry's 
heart  as  a  blossom  opens  in  the  sun.  His  un- 
selfish advice  was  all  the  more  commendable  in 
view  of  his  suffering.  There  were,  however, 
two  considerations  that  softened  his  pain.  He 


268  A   GENTLE    KNIGHT 

had  learned  to  know  the  Margrave  and  to  love 
him.  He  knew  also  that  while  Wilhelmina 
respected  Adolph  and  loved  his  gentleness, 
there  was  no  passionate  longing  for  him  in  her 
heart  and  never  could  be.  Jealousy,  therefore, 
was  not  among  Henry's  sources,  of  pain.  In 
truth,  he  was  so  harassed  by  his  passionate  love 
and  sense  of  loss  on  the  one  hand,  and  by  his 
fear  of  Weissenfels  and  an  unselfish  longing 
for  Mina's  happiness  on  the  other,  that  he  was 
not  in  a  state  of  mind  to  reach  any  satisfying 
conclusion. 

The  moment  the  Margrave  was  gone,  Henry 
regretted  having  sent  him.  He  also  regretted 
having  told  him  that  he  was  the  Hereditary 
Prince  of  Bayreuth.  In  showing  Grumkow's 
letter,  he  feared  he  had  made  another  mis- 
take. In  short,  it  seemed,  as  in  the  case  of  the 
Margrave,  that  love  had  robbed  him  of  his 
judgment,  and  that  he  had  been  falling  from 
one  mistake  into  another  as  rapidly  as  possible 
under  the  circumstances. 

Henry  sat  at  the  window  looking  down  on 
the  garden.  After  a  short  time,  he  saw  Wil- 
helmina walking  alone  down  one  of  the  paths. 
Presently  the  Margrave,  puffing,  blowing  and 
mopping  his  face,  appeared  on  the  scene,  fol- 
lowing the  princess  as  rapidly  as  his  fat  legs 


OF    OLD    BRANDENBURG          269 

and  heavy  feet  could  carry  him.  Henry  knew 
that  Adolph  had  gone  a-wooing,  and  pitied 
the  simple-hearted  fellow.  He  more  than 
pitied  him;  he  loved  him  and  wished  him 
success. 

In  a  few  minutes  the  Margrave  came  up 
the  path  alone,  returning  from  his  wooing.  His 
step  was  heavy;  the  red  handkerchief  hung 
limp  in  his  hand  and  dragged  on  the  ground 
regardless  of  a  deluge  of  perspiration  calling 
loudly  to  be  mopped.  From  head  to  foot 
Adolph  showed  dejection,  hopelessness,  misery. 
He  sought  Henry  immediately. 

"Ach,  I  knew!  I  knew!"  wailed  the  Mar- 
grave, seating  himself  beside  Henry  near  the 
window.  "I  am  a  fool — always  a  fool  when 
that  girl  is  considered.  I  grasp  at  straws;  I 
fly  at  phantasms;  I  run  wildly  after  mere 
shadows,  hallucinations,  dreams.  Ach,  friend, 
pity  me." 

Unable  to  suppress  his  pent-up  emotion,  he 
fell  forward  with  his  face  on  his  folded  arms, 
resting  on  the  window  shelf,  and  gave  way  to 
a  flood  of  tears. 

"Was  ever  man  so  unfortunate  as  I?"  he 
moaned.  "I,  who  love  this  perfect  woman  as 
woman  was  never  loved  before,  must  refuse  her 


270  A   GENTLE    KNIGHT 

whom  I  would  give  my  life  to  possess,  though 
I  may  have  her  for  the  taking." 

"You  are  to  be  pitied,"  said  Henry,  sympa- 
thetically, "but  I,  too,  have  only  the  sense  of 
doing  right  to  soften  my  pain.  I,  who  love  the 
princess  and  who  have  her  love,  must  see  her 
go  to  the  arms  of  another  man.  That,  my 
friend,  is  the  essence  of  bitterness." 

"True,  true,"  said  the  Margrave,  lifting  his 
head  and  drying  his  eyes.  "I  should  be  giving 
sympathy,  not  seeking  it.  What  do  you  sup- 
pose she  said?" 

"I  can  hardly  imagine,"  answered  Henry, 
for  the  lack  of  anything  else  to  say. 

"She  said — ach,  it  is  terrible  to  think  upon 
— she  said  she  would  marry  me  if  her  father 
forced  her  to  choose  between  me  and  Weissen- 
fels,  but  she  wept  and  said  she  would  not  be 
alive  one  month  after  the  marriage  ceremony. 
Now  can  I,  being  a  man,  marry  her!  I  ask 
you,  can  I  marry  her?" 

"It  would  almost  seem  that  you  cannot," 
replied  Henry. 

"No,"  said  Adolph;  "our  first  plan  is  better. 
Let  the  princess  choose  me,  and  at  the  last  mo- 
ment I  shall  refuse  to  marry  her.  After  that, 
I'll  take  care  of  Weissenfels.  Leave  him  to 
me — to  me.  I  have  said — much." 


CHAPTER  XVI 

WILHELMINA   CONSENTS 

WITHIN  a  fortnight  after  the  conversation 
between  Adolph  and  Fritz  Henry,  the  king  sent 
the  long-delayed  message  to  England  with  for- 
mal notice  that  all  negotiations  of  marriage 
in  that  quarter  were  broken  off.  The  queen, 
whose  whole  married  life  had  been  devoted  to 
bringing  about  the  English  marriage,  was 
heart-broken,  and  there  was  many  a  stormy 
scene  between  her  and  her  husband.  The 
queen's  wrath  also  fell  on  Wilhelmina's  head 
because  she  had  not  insisted  on  a  continua- 
tion of  the  marriage  negotiations  with  Eng- 
land. The  princess  was  helpless.  Her  wishes 
or  protests  would  have  been  a  waste  of 
breath,  but  the  queen  was  angry  at  every 
one,  and  Mina,  having  been  her  scapegoat  ever 
since  the  day  she  was  born  a  girl  instead  of  a 
boy,  felt  the  sharp  edge  of  her  mother's  ill 
temper. 

"Now,  you  will  have  the  pleasure  of 
marrying  one  of  two  beasts,  Schwedt  or 
Weissenfels,"  said  Queen  Sophia,  upbraid- 
ing Wilhelmina  because  of  a  state  of  affairs 

271 


272  A   GENTLE   KNIGHT 

for  which  the  princess  was  in  no  way  respon- 
sible. "Schwedt  or  Weissenfels,  and  I  am  glad 
of  it — glad  of  it.  It  is  what  you  deserve  for 
being  a  poor,  spiritless,  mean-hearted  fool. 
Your  sister  Don't  Care  would  have  shown  her 
teeth,  and  would  have  used  them,  too,  had  she 
been  in  your  place.  See  what  she  did  when 
your  father  and  Grumkow  suggested  marrying 
her  to  the  lean,  lank,  poverty-stricken  Prince  of 
Bayreuth.  She  gave  your  father  to  under- 
stand that  she  would  have  no  pauper  skeleton 
for  a  husband." 

"Indeed  I  did,"  said  Don't  Care,  who  was 
standing  near  by,  laughing  at  her  sister's  dis- 
tress. "I  defied  Stumpy  to  his  face,  and 
harassed  him  until  he  was  only  too  glad  to  let 
the  matter  drop." 

"I  wish  I  could  follow  your  example,"  said 
the  weeping  Wilhelmina,  "but  I  am  helpless, 
and  I  have  grown  to  care  very  little  what  my 
fate  may  be." 

"That  is  where  the  trouble  lies,"  screamed 
the  queen;  "you're  so  meek,  so  weak,  so  limp 
and  listless  that  your  father  and  Grumkow 
drive  you  hither  and  thither  as  a  sheep  dog 
drives  the  sheep.  I'm  tired  of  quarreling  and 
storming  for  your  sake.  I'm  going  to  stop, 
and  you  can  go  to  the  devil  or  any  place  you 


OF   OLD   BRANDENBURG         273 

choose  whenever  you  wish.  If  you  won't  lift 
a  hand  to  save  yourself,  I'll  stop  fighting  for 
you.'* 

"But  what  shall  I  do?  Tell  me,  mother, 
what  shall  I  do?"  pleaded  Mina. 

"Tell  your  father  that  you  will  marry 
neither  Schwedt  nor  Weissenf els, "  returned 
the  queen,  impressively.  "Tell  him  that  he 
may  kill  you,  but  that  you  will  neither  choose 
nor  have  either  of  these  men.  He  has  not  yet 
ordered  you  to  make  choice,  but  the  command 
will  come  within  a  few  days.  When  it  comes, 
defy  the  king,  and  he  will  have  to  yield  to  your 
will.  Then  he  will  reinstate  the  English 
negotiations. ' ' 

Although  Mina  dreaded  marriage  with  the 
English  prince  quite  as  much  as  with  "Weissen- 
fels  or  Schwedt,  she  hoped  that  the  queen  was 
right,  for  the  English  negotiations  were  sure 
to  drag,  and  their  re-opening  would  at  least 
give  her  time.  She  therefore  determined  to 
take  the  queen's  advice,  and  to  make  a  brave 
stand  against  the  terrible  king  and  the  still 
more  terrible  Grumkow. 

It  came  to  pass  as  the  queen  had  prophesied ; 
at  least,  it  came  to  pass  in  part,  for  within  a 
fortnight  the  order  came  to  Wilhelmina  that 
she  should  choose  as  her  husband  either 

18 


274  A   GENTLE   KNIGHT 

Johann  Adolph,  Margrave  of  Schwedt,  or  the 
Duke  of  Weissenfels. 

During  the  period  intervening  between  Wil- 
helmina's  conversation  with  the  queen  and  the 
day  of  the  king's  final  order,  events  happened 
that  made  it  easy  for  his  Majesty  and  Grum- 
kow  to  force  their  will  upon  the  princess. 

The  Crown  Prince,  having  determined  to  try 
to  escape  from  the  clutches  of  his  father,  told 
Wilhelmina  of  his  plans.  When  she  endeav- 
ored to  dissuade  him,  as  on  a  former  occasion, 
he  accused  her  of  selfishness  and  closed  the 
argument  by  telling  her  angrily  that  his  going 
was  no  affair  of  hers,  and  that  she  need  not 
meddle  in  what  concerned  him  only. 

The  prince,  like  every  other  selfish  person, 
failed  to  appreciate  the  fact  that  his  acts  might 
seriously  affect  all  who  were  near  him;  yet  of 
all  persons,  he  was  the  most  prone  to  bring 
trouble  to  others.  In  this  instance,  what  he 
did  brought  many  of  his  friends  into  frightful 
trouble,  and  helped  to  make  it  impossible  for 
his  sister  to  disobey  the  commands  of  Grum- 
kow  and  the  king. 

The  prince  tried  to  escape,  but  was  captured. 
His  friends,  Keith  and  Katt,  were  with  him. 
Keith  succeeded  in  making  his  way  safely  out  of 
Brandenburg;  Katt  was  taken  with  the  prince. 


OF   OLD   BRANDENBURG          275 

Both  were  charged  with  desertion.  The  prince 
was  confined  in  his  room,  a  prisoner,  awaiting 
trial  for  treason.  Katt  was  sent  to  Spandan. 

The  prince's  escapade  is  no  part  of  this 
history  save  in  its  bearing  on  Wilhelmina,  and 
the  scenes  attending  it  were  so  horrible  that 
they  will  be  referred  to  as  briefly  as  possible. 

Grumkow  communicated  the  king's  com- 
mands to  Wilhelmina  one  evening  in  the  queen's 
parlor.  The  baron  intimated  to  Wilhelmina 
that  he  desired  a  few  words  privately  with  her, 
and  she  followed  him  to  a  distant  part  of  the 
room. 

"His  gracious  Majesty,  your  affectionate 
father,"  began  Grumkow  ominously,  " wishing 
to  see  you  well  settled  and  happy  for  life, 
directs  me  to  say  to  you  that  he  has  selected 
two  worthy  men  of  high  rank,  the  Margrave  of 
Schwedt  and  the  Duke  of  Weissenfels,  and  that 
you  may  make  your  choice  of  a  husband  be- 
tween them.  Loving  you  tenderly,  he  is  anxious 
that  you  shall  be  consulted  in  a  matter  that 
touches  you  so  nearly ;  therefore,  he  graciously 
leaves  the  choice  to  you.  He  expects  an  answer 
within  a  few  days — at  once,  if  possible." 

Poor  Wilhelmina,  bearing  in  mind  her 
mother's  command,  said:  "I  choose  neither  of 
these  gentlemen  for  my  husband.  You  may 


276  A   GENTLE   KNIGHT 

say  to  the  king  that  I  absolutely  refuse,  and 
that  there  is  no  possible  way  in  which  he  can 
compel  me  to  marry  either  the  Margrave  of 
Schwedt  or  the  Duke  of  Weissenfels." 

Grumkow  remained  silent  for  a  moment,  then 
responded,  smilingly: 

"To  return  such  an  answer  to  your  loving 
father  would  be  not  only  ungrateful,  but  would 
be  disobedience  to  your  parent,  and  you  know 
the  Scriptures  speak  most  emphatically  against 
that  sin." 

"It  is  true,"  answered  Wilhelmina.  "The 
Scriptures  command  us  to  obey  our  parents, 
but  in  my  case  it  is  impossible.  I  have  two 
parents,  a  father  and  a  mother.  My  father 
commands  me  to  marry  one  of  these  men.  My 
mother  commands  me  to  marry  neither.  Which 
one  of  my  parents  shall  I  obey?  Remember, 
Baron  Grumkow,  the  Scriptures  say,  'Honor 
thy  father  and  thy  mother'." 

"Your  argument  is  strong  and  most  ingen- 
ious, my  dear  princess,"  answered  the  smiling 
Grumkow,  "but  the  Scriptures  also  say,  'Wives, 
be  in  subjection  to  your  own  husbands'.  If 
your  mother  disobeys  your  father's  commands, 
she  is  guilty  of  a  grievous  sin,  and  if  you  obey 
her,  you  partake  of  her  guilt." 

Wilhelmina  was  lost  for  a  moment,  but  soon 


OF   OLD   BRANDENBURG          277 

retorted:  ''Father  has  put  no  command  upon 
the  queen,  and  as  long  as  she  is  not  disobeying 
him,  I  cannot  keep  the  scriptural  injunction 
to  obey  my  parents  when  their  commands 
conflict." 

Grumkow  laughed,  showing  his  teeth  as 
when  a  dog  snarls:  "Your  Highness  is  a 
rare  logician,  and  for  the  present,  you  are 
right.  But  we  will  see  that  the  queen  receives 
her  command,  and  I  advise  you  to  make  your 
choice,  or  the  king  will  make  it  for  you.  Yes; 
he  will  save  you  from  the  sin  of  disobeying 
scriptural  injunction  by  giving  his  commands 
to  the  queen  at  once." 

"In  that  case  I  shall  disobey  both  the  Scrip- 
tures and  my  father,"  answered  the  princess. 

* '  There  will  be  many  ways  of  inducing  you  to 
obey  both,"  said  Grumkow,  again  showing  his 
teeth,  and  walking  away  with  a  true,  satanic 
smile  on  his  lips. 

When  Grumkow  left,  Wilhelmina  was  sum- 
moned to  the  queen's  side  and  closely  ques- 
tioned concerning  the  conversation.  She  told 
her  mother  all  that  was  said,  and  for  once 
Queen  Sophia  approved  her  daughter's  con- 
duct, and  spoke  kindly  to  her. 

Within  an  hour  Grumkow  reappeared  and 
addressed  the  queen: 


278  A   GENTLE   KNIGHT 

"The  king  commands  me  to  say  to  your 
Majesty  that  your  stubborn  disobedience  pains 
him  grievously.  That  your  Majesty  should  so 
far  forget  your  duty  to  your  husband,  your 
king-  and  your  God  as  openly  to  defy  the 
king's  commands  is  a  matter  of  wonder  and 
grief  to  his  Majesty.  Although  he  is  loath  to 
compel  obedience  by  force,  he  feels  that  it  is 
his  duty  to  say  to  your  Majesty  that  if  the 
Princess  Wilhelmina  remains  obdurate  and 
does  not,  within  three  days  after  to-morrow 
noon,  make  choice  of  a  husband  as  already  indi- 
cated, his  Majesty  will  choose  for  her.  If  she 
still  refuses  to  marry  the  man  of  his  choice, 
she  shall  be  locked  up  in  Spandau  Castle  with 
the  Duke  of  Weissenfels,  and  when  she  comes 
out  she  will  be  glad  enough  to  marry  any  man 
who  will  have  her." 

The  queen  was  almost  prostrated,  and  could 
answer  only: 

"Tell  the  king  he  will  cause  my  death  if  he 
carries  out  his  threat." 

"Tell  the  king  for  me,"  said  Wilhelmina, 
speaking  softly  but  firmly,  "that  he  may  carry 
out  his  threat,  but  that  I  will  not  choose  either 
of  these  men  for  my  husband,  nor  will  I  marry 
either  of  them  if  he  makes  the  choice  for  me." 

"Within  three  days  you  will  be  glad  enough 


OF   OLD   BRANDENBURG          279 

to  choose.  You  and  the  queen  will  be  on  your 
knees  to  his  Majesty,  begging  the  privilege  to 
obey,"  answered  Grumkow,  bowing,  smiling 
and  withdrawing. 

The  events  of  the  next  two  days  were  too 
horrible  to  be  given  save  in  briefest  outline. 

Doris  Ritter,  than  whom  there  was  no  purer, 
truer  maiden,  was  dragged  naked  at  a  cart's 
tail  through  the  streets  of  Berlin,  and  unmer- 
cifully flogged,  for  no  other  reason  than  that 
she  was  a  friend  of  the  Crown  Prince  and  Wil- 
helmina.  Katt  was  beheaded  in  front  of  the 
Crown  Prince's  window,  and  Fritz  was  forced 
to  witness  the  execution. 

Henry  was  on  duty  at  Spandau  during  all 
this  period,  and  knew  nothing  of  Grumkow 's 
horrible  deeds.  Wilhelmina  and  the  queen 
knew  of  them,  and  were  in  despair.  They  tried 
to  see  the  king,  to  beg  him  to  spare  Katt's 
life,  but  Grumkow  was  careful  to  prevent  their 
meeting  with  his  Majesty. 

After  Katt's  death,  Grumkow  appeared  be- 
fore the  queen  and  Wilhelmina.  The  two  poor 
women  were  almost  prostrated  and  could  not 
even  protest.  Grumkow  lost  no  time  in  cere- 
mony, but  spoke  briefly  and  to  the  point: 

1  'His  Majesty  commands  me  to  say  that  the 
friends  of  the  princess,  beginning  with  Mile. 


280  A   GENTLE   KNIGHT 

Sonnsfeld,  will  be  served  as  Doris  Bitter  was 
treated,  and  that  the  court  martial  now  sit- 
ting in  judgment  on  the  Crown  Prince  will 
inflict  on  his  Eoyal  Highness  the  fate  suffered 
by  Katt  unless  the  Princess  Wilhelmina,  be- 
fore to-morrow  night,  makes  choice  of  a  hus- 
band as  directed  by  her  kind  and  gracious 
father.  Furthermore,  if  the  choice  is  not  made, 
the  king  will,  after  to-morrow  night,  command 
the  princess  to  marry  the  Duke  of  Weissenfels, 
and  if  the  punishment  inflicted  on  her  brother 
and  her  friends  does  not  subdue  her  stubborn 
will,  she  shall  go  to  Spandau  with  his  Grace, 
the  duke,  as  I  have  already  intimated." 

"I  will  marry  the  Margrave  of  Schwedt!" 
cried  Wilhelmina.  Then  Grumkow  smiled, 
bowed  and  took  his  leave. 

The  same  evening  the  Margrave  approached 
the  princess  in  the  queen's  parlor,  to  thank  her 
publicly  for  having  chosen  him.  He  bowed 
low,  took  her  proffered  hand,  and  lifted  it  to 
his  lips. 

"I  thank  your  Highness  for  the  honor  you 
have  done  me.  My  life  shall  be  devoted  to 
your  happiness. " 

Don't  Care,  who  was  standing  near  by, 
shrugged  her  shoulders,  laughed  under  her 
breath,  and  whispered  to  her  neighbor.  Eamen : 


OF   OLD   BRANDENBURG         281 

"I  am  sure  that  ought  to  make  Mina  happy. 
She  will  at  least  not  lack  for  fat  meat." 

The  Margrave  and  Mina  distinctly  heard 
Don't  Care's  remark,  and  it  spurred  Mina  to 
speak,  though  she  was  almost  dumb  with  grief. 

"I  thank  you,  Margrave,  and  I  feel  sure  you 
will  be  kinder  to  me  than  others  who  should  love 
me,  but  who  seem  to  take  joy  from  my  sorrow." 

"Do  not  treat  me  kindly,"  whispered  the 
Margrave,  when  he  found  himself  alone  with 
the  princess.  "Grumkow  is  watching  and  will 
suspect  there  is  a  plan  to  thwart  his  purpose  if 
he  finds  you  less  unhappy  than  you  should  be. 
Turn  your  back  and  appear  to  disdain  me. ' ' 

The  princess  hesitated  to  humiliate  the  Mar- 
grave. 

"I  should  dislike  to  ill  treat  you  before  the 
court,"  she  said. 

"Ach,  don't  consider  me,"  he  answered, 
smiling.  "The  whole  court  knows  why  you 
chose  me,  and  every  one  despises  me  for  being 
a  party  to  the  crime.  Let  them  think  what  they 
will;  I  care  not.  They  will  soon  change  their 
minds." 

He  bowed  and  withdrew.  As  he  turned,  he 
collided  with  the  long  Duke  of  Weissenfels,  who 
said: 

"Out  of  my  way,  you  twice  fat  hog!" 


282  A   GENTLE   KNIGHT 

All  who  were  near  saw  the  duke's  scowl,  and 
many  persons  heard  his  words. 

"Ach,  it  hurts  him,"  cried  Adolph,  laughing 
triumphantly  and  shrugging  his  shoulders. 
"He  did  not  receive  the  golden  apple.  There 
may  be  another  Trojan  War." 

The  Margrave's  words  were  heard  by  every 
one  in  the  room,  including  the  duke,  and  al- 
though Adolph  spoke  jestingly,  he  was  terribly 
in  earnest.  For  some  time  there  had  been 
enmity  between  the  two,  and  the  Margrave 
hoped  to  widen  the  breach.  He  succeeded  so 
well  that  the  duke,  who  was  proud  of  his  repu- 
tation as  a  duelist,  was  heard  on  several 
occasions  to  threaten  "the  fat  fellow"  with 
extinction  in  several  horrible  forms,  the  least 
frightful  of  which  was  running  his  sword 
through  the  Margrave's  heart.  The  duke's 
threats  all  reached  the  Margrave's  ears,  but  they 
did  not  frighten  him.  On  the  other  hand,  they 
filled  his  heart  with  joy,  and  he  was  careful 
that  they  should  be  made  known  to  the  king. 

The  next  evening  at  The  Tabagie,  after  the 
king  had  risen  and  while  the  Margrave's  nerves 
were  fortified  by  a  large  amount  of  beer,  the 
duke,  who  could  not  at  all  compete  with  Adolph 
in  the  matter  of  beer  drinking,  however  superior 


OF   OLD   BRANDENBURG         283 

lie  may  have  been  as  a  duelist,  took  occasion  to 
annoy  the  Margrave  in  many  petty  ways.  The 
adroit  Adolph  offered  Weissenfels  every  oppor- 
tunity to  show  his  ill  temper,  and  after  his 
Grace  had  exhibited  his  bad  feeling  in  such  a 
manner  that  the  king  could  not  help  seeing  it, 
the  Margrave  approached  his  Majesty,  who 
graciously  lent  his  ear  to  his  future  son-in-law. 

"Your  Majesty  may  have  noticed,"  said 
Adolph,  with  great  earnestness,  "that  his  Grace 
of  Weissenfels  is  taking  every  occasion  to  put 
insufferable  insult  upon  me." 

"Yes,  I  have  noticed  that  his  looks  are  sour, 
and  that  he  seems  to  take  delight  in  trying  to 
insult  you,"  answered  the  king,  laughing  and 
waving  his  hand  to  indicate  that  it  was  of  no 
consequence. 

"My  immediate  business  with  your  Majesty 
is  this,"  said  the  Margrave,  standing  at  his 
tallest  and  swelling  prodigiously  in  the  breast. 
"I  wish  to  ask  your  Majesty's  permission  to 
slap  the  duke's  face — face,  your  Majesty — and 
when  he  attempts  to  run  from  me,  it  is  my  in- 
tention, always  with  your  Majesty's  permission, 
to  kick  him." 

As  already  intimated,  Adolph  had  been 
drinking. 

"You  have  my  permission  to  do  both,"  said 


284  A   GENTLE   KNIGHT 

the  king,  laughing  and  resting  his  hand  kindly 
on  the  Margrave's  shoulder.  "But  he  may  not 
run.  He  has  threatened  to  run  you  through, 
and  you  know  he  is  a  very  devil  with  a  sword. ' ' 

The  Margrave's  intentions  had  been  good, 
and  his  determination  had  been  real,  but  they 
had  been  formed  hastily  and  without  due  con- 
sideration. The  king's  suggestion  that  the 
duke  might  not  run  away,  but  that  he  might 
draw  his  sword,  sicklied  o'er  the  native  hue 
of  Adolph's  resolution  with  the  pale  cast  of 
thought.  Following  the  pale  cast  of  thought 
came  a  wish  that  Henry  were  present  to  aid 
and  abet  him  in  his  undertaking,  and  to  see  him 
in  a  valiant  role.  After  the  wish  had  taken 
form,  prudence  whispered  to  the  Margrave  that 
it  would  be  wise  to  postpone  chastising  the  duke 
till  Henry  was  present  for  the  twofold  pur- 
pose of  giving  help  should  it  be  needed,  and  of 
glorying  in  Adolph's  triumph  when  achieved. 
Therefore,  he  did  not  go  directly  to  Weissen- 
fels,  but  waited  for  the  duke  to  continue  his 
insulting  conduct. 

After  Weissenfels  had  left,  Adolph  sought 
the  king  to  tell  him  that  the  enemy,  doubtless 
having  heard  of  his  danger,  had  fled. 

The  king  laughed  and  said:  "Your  oppor- 
tunity will  come  again,  Margrave,  and  when  it 


OF    OLD    BRANDENBURG          285 

does,  I  hope  you  will  not  fail  to  improve  it. 
But  beware  of  the  duke;  he  is  a  bad,  vicious 
man,  a  good  swordsman,  and  in  case  of  an  en- 
counter, will  kill  you  if  he  can." 

The  king's  words  saved  the  Margrave  a  deal 
of  trouble  later  on,  for  Adolph  was  not  a 
coward,  as  you  will  agree  if  you  follow  this 
history  to  its  end. 

Next  morning  the  Margrave  drove  to  Span- 
dau  Castle.  Henry  had  been  there  for  nearly 
a  month,  drilling  new  recruits,  preparatory  to 
trouble  with  Hannover,  which  the  king  was 
expecting  because  of  a  dispute  with  his  brother- 
in-law  over  a  few  loads  of  hay. 

Adolph  hastened  to  Fritz  Henry's  room,  and 
fell  weeping  on  his  friend's  neck. 

" Ach,  Gott!"  moaned  the  Margrave.  "Ber- 
lin is  but  another  hell,  and  Grumkow  is  the  arch- 
fiend. Have  you  heard  ? ' ' 

"I  have  heard  nothing  for  nearly  a  month," 
answered  Henry.  "The  king  permits  no  news 
to  travel  from  Berlin  to  Spandau.  He  says  it 
disturbs  his  soldiers.  I  have  heard  it  whis- 
pered among  the  officers  that  the  Crown  Prince 
tried  to  run  away,  and  that  his  plans  were  dis- 
covered and  defeated  by  Grumkow  and  the 
king.  But  it  has  been  only  a  whispered  rumor 


286  A   GENTLE    KNIGHT 

in  Spandau,  and  the  whispering  has  been  in 
very  low  tones,  you  may  be  sure." 

"Ach,  lieber  Himmel!"  wailed  the  Margrave, 
pacing  the  floor  excitedly,  but  trying  hard  to 
speak  calmly:  "You  have  not  heard  that 
Doris  Eitter  was  whipped  at  the  cart's  tail — 
whipped  naked  through  the  streets  of  Berlin?" 

Henry,  who  had  been  sitting  in  the  deep 
embrasure  of  the  window,  sprang  to  his  feet, 
exclaiming : 

"Margrave,  you  are  insane!  You  are  mad! 
Why  should  any  one  wish  to  whip  that  pure, 
inoffensive  girl?  It  is  impossible!  You  must 
be  wrong ! ' ' 

"It  is  true,"  sighed  the  Margrave,  "but  that 
is  not  the  worst.  Katt  was  beheaded  before 
the  window  of  the  Crown  Prince,  who  was 
forced  to  witness  the  execution.  Grumkow 
told  the  queen  and  the  princess  that  the  fate  of 
Doris  Bitter  would  fall  on  Mile.  Sonnsfeld  and 
on  all  of  Wilhelmina's  friends,  and  that  Katt's 
fate  would  be  meted  out  to  the  Crown  Prince, 
if  the  princess  did  not  at  once  choose  Weissen- 
fels  or  me;  so  she  chose  me.  Our  public  be- 
trothal will  take  place  the  day  after  to-morrow. 
Ach,  Gott,  I  pity  her !  From  the  bottom  of  my 
heart,  I  pity  her.  My  life  is  nothing  to  me  if 
by  casting  it  away  I  can  save  her.  The  man 


OF    OLD   BRANDENBURG         287 

who  cares  nothing  for  his  life  is  to  be  feared, 
for  he  is  thrice  strong.  I  may  be  able  to  help 
her." 

"I  pray  God  you  may  be!"  cried  Henry, 
hardly  capable,  as  yet,  of  grasping  the  terrible 
situation. 

"Grumkow  also  said  that  in  case  these 
calamities  failed  to  bring  the  princess  to  a 
sense  of  her  duty,  the  kind  and  gracious  father 
would  send  her  here  with  Weissenfels,  and 
would  leave  her  till  she  would  be  glad  to  marry 
any  man." 

"The  king  and  Grumkow  are  not  men;  they 
are  fiends!"  cried  Henry.  "But  tell  me  of 
the  Crown  Prince.  Is  he  free?" 

"No,  he  is  imprisoned  in  his  rooms,  and  is 
kept  on  bread  and  water.  The  court  martial 
suspended  the  sentence  of  death,  awaiting  the 
action  of  Wilhelmina.  If  I  did  not  feel  that  I 
am  her  only  hope,  I  should  kill  myself — I  should 
kill  myself — aye,  now,  this  minute — at  once.  I 
never  before  knew  that  in  all  the  world  there 
was  so  much  evil  as  is  contained  in  the  heart 
of  this  one  man,  Grumkow.  Surely  God  has 
permitted  the  devil  to  become  incarnate." 

"But  how  can  you  help  her?"  asked  Henry. 
"It  looks  as  if  God  only  can  do  that  now  unless 
you  marry  her." 


288  A   GENTLE    KNIGHT 

"How  generous  and  noble  you  are,"  said  the 
Margrave,  kissing  Henry's  cheek  before  he 
could  draw  away.  "It  is  no  wonder  she  loves 
you.  The  man  who  loves  a  woman,  and  for  the 
sake  of  her  happiness  wishes  her  to  marry 
another,  surely  is  unselfish  almost  beyond  the 
limits  of  the  human  heart." 

"You  are  that,  Margrave,"  said  Henry. 
"But  tell  me  how  you  can  help  her." 

"I  do  not  know,  but  I  want  you  to  come  to 
the  betrothal  ceremony  day  after  to-morrow, 
at  two  o'clock.  It  will  take  place  in  the  Mir- 
rored Chamber.  Then  perhaps  you  will  see 
how  I  shall  help  the  princess — perhaps.  I  do 
not  know  myself;  I  do  not  know  my  strength; 
I  do  not  know  my  courage.  I  am  brave  when  I 
talk  about  danger,  but  ach!  I  fear  I  am  a  cow- 
ard when  I  meet  it.  Meantime,  I  want  you  to 
give  me  a  copy  of  Grumkow's  letter  to  Bamen." 

"Again  I  insist  that  Grumkow  would  pro- 
nounce the  letter  a  forgery,  even  if  you  should 
show  the  original  to  the  king.  But  the  copy- 
he  would  laugh  at  it. ' ' 

"I'm  not  so  great  a  fool  as  to  show  the 
original  to  any  one.  That  must  remain  hidden 
where  no  one  but  you  can  find  it.  I  shall  have 
use  only  for  the  copy,  and  I  will  not  show  it  to 
the  king  unless  I  must." 


OF    OLD   BBANDENBURG          289 

"You  shall  have  the  copy  as  soon  as  we  reach 
Berlin,"  said  Henry.  "I  have  the  letter  with 
me,  but  I  have  neither  pen  nor  paper,  and  if  I 
had  both,  we  ought  not  to  try  to  copy  it  here. 
I  will  at  once  obtain "  permission  to  go  to 
Berlin." 

Henry  asked  leave  of  absence,  and  found  an 
order  from  the  king  directing  him  to  return 
to  Berlin  for  the  purpose  of  attending  the 
betrothal  ceremony,  and  to  assist  in  reviewing 
the  regiment  in  honor  of  the  occasion. 

On  reaching  Berlin,  Henry  asked  permission 
of  the  king  to  visit  the  Crown  Prince,  who  was 
confined  in  his  apartments  in  the  attic  of  the 
palace.  The  king  seemed  glad  to  see  his  new 
favorite,  and  answered: 

"Yes,  yes,  for  the  love  of  God!  Give  the 
rascal  a  little  of  your  brains,  for  he  is  the  most 
perverse  fool  unhung." 

Henry  hastened  to  the  Crown  Prince's  gar- 
ret prison,  having  received  from  the  king  the 
word  that  would  enable  him  to  pass  the  guard. 

"Ah,  my  friend,"  cried  the  prince.  "You 
deserted  us  in  our  time  of  trouble.  Where 
have  you  been?" 

"I've  been  at  Spandau,  and  heard  only  yes- 
terday evening  of  your  troubles.  Poor  Katt! 
I  once  heard  him  prophesy  that  he  would  be 

19 


290  A   GENTLE   KNIGHT 

hanged  or  beheaded.    I'm  glad  Keith  escaped." 
"I,  too,  am  glad,  but  I  wish  I  could  have 
taken  Katt's  place,"  returned  the  prince,  drear- 
ily.    "If  ever  a  man  was  tired  of  life,  I  am." 

"You  have  your  sister,  your  people  and  your 
friends  to  care  for,  and  you  must  live  to  be 
king.  Then  you  can  make  up  to  them  what 
they  have  suffered  for  your  sake.  I  should 
suppose  that  no  small  part  of  the  satisfaction 
you  would  take  in  royal  power  would  be  to 
retaliate  on  those  who  have  used  you  and  your 
friends  so  cruelly." 

"I  fear  that  by  the  time  I  am  king  I  shall 
have  grown  to  be  like  my  father,  and  if  that 
comes  to  pass,  I  shall  turn  against  the  friends 
who  have  helped  me,  and  shall  fawn  upon  the 
enemies  who  would  ruin  me.  What  a  frightful 
curse  it  is  when  a  man  must  stare  the  sins  of 
his  father  in  the  face  and  know  that  they  will 
some  day  be  his  own;  that  he  will  inherit  them 
along  with  his  father's  nose  and  scowl,  his  bad 
heart  and  his  crown.  The  passage  of  Scrip- 
ture which  says  the  iniquity  of  the  father  is 
visited  on  the  children  should  read:  'The  sins 
of  the  father  are  vested  in  the  son  when  the  son 
becomes  old  enough  to  inherit  them.'  A  man 
may  try  to  escape  them,  but  the  oak  will  be  like 
the  tree  from  which  its  acorn  fell.  For  the 


OF    OLD   BRANDENBURG          291 

sake  of  my  friends  and  my  people,  but  above 
all,  for  my  own  sake,  I  wish  I  could  have  taken 
Katt's  place." 

The  little  prince  had  the  rarest  of  all  wisdom, 
knowledge  of  self.  His  foresight  proved  true, 
for  Frederick  the  Great  was  but  a  sane  copy 
of  his  father,  modified  by  Voltaire  and 
cynicism. 

"Katt's  death  should  teach  your  Highness 
a  great  lesson, ' '  said  Henry. 

"It  has  taught  me — much,  as  Adolph  would 
say,"  answered  little  Fritz.  "It  has  taught 
me  that  my  father  can  be  won  and  influenced 
only  by  the  use  of  the  most  barefaced  treach- 
ery, lying  and  fraud.  If  one  defies  him,  yet 
seems  to  flatter  his  whims,  he  may  be  made 
useful.  Grumkow  does  it;  why  shall  not  I?  I 
shall  become  a  canting,  pious  charlatan.  I 
shall  seek  to  deceive  my  father  in  every  way  in 
my  power.  I  shall  be  false  to  him;  I  shall  lie 
to  him.  Then  I  may  defy  him  and  he  will 
respect  me." 

"All  that  you  say  is  true  and  possible," 
answered  Henry. 

"Yes,"  responded  the  little  prince.  "I 
thought  it  all  out  last  night.  From  this  day 
forth,  I'll  be  a  canting  hypocrite,  a  knave,  and 


292  A   GENTLE    KNIGHT 

I  shall  soon  become  very  dear  to  the  heart  of 
my  father." 

After  an  hour  spent  with  the  prince,  Henry 
left,  and  on  his  way  down  the  attic  gallery,  had 
the  wonderful  good  fortune  to  meet  Wilhelmina. 

"Come  with  me,"  she  whispered  eagerly,  as 
she  caught  him  by  the  hand  and  led  him  to  an 
alcove  in  a  gable  window. 

The  scene  between  them  on  the  windowseat 
need  not  be  given,  except  that  part  which  re- 
lates to  the  remarkable  proposition  made  by 
Henry. 

"If  we  could  escape,"  said  he,  "we  might 
hide  ourselves  away  from  all  the  world  and  be 
happy." 

Much  to  Henry's  surprise  the  princess  re- 
plied: "I  will  go  with  you  any  day,  any  hour. 
I  will  trust  you  even  in  so  desperate  a  venture. 
You  know  best.  If  you  believe  we  can  hide 
ourselves  away  from  the  world,  I  am  willing  to 
accept  your  judgment  and  will  go  with  you. 
If  we  are  caught,  the  king  can  but  kill  us." 

Mina's  words  brought  great  joy  to  Henry's 
heart.  For  a  moment  his  longing  warped  his 
judgment,  and  he  began  to  suggest  plans  of 
escape.  A  little  consideration,  however,  soon 
convinced  him  that  he  and  the  princess  could 
not  by  any  possible  chance  reach  the  boundary 


OF    OLD   BBANDENBURG          293 

lines  of  Brandenburg,  and  that  an  attempt  to 
run  away  with  her  would  soon  bring  disaster 
on  her,  his  father  and  himself. 

Henry  did  not  explain  to  Wilhelmina  the 
difficulties  and  dangers  as  they  presented  them- 
selves to  him,  but  wishing  that  she  might  snatch 
a  moment's  happiness  from  the  midst  of  wretch- 
edness, allowed  her  to  hope  and  dream.  Twice 
he  was  on  the  point  of  telling  her  that  he  was 
the  Hereditary  Prince  of  Bayreuth,  but  he 
feared  to  raise  false  hopes  in  her  heart,  and 
refrained  because  he  knew  that  as  the  Heredi- 
tary Prince  of  Bayreuth,  he  stood  no  better 
chance  of  winning  her  for  his  wife  than  he  did 
as  a  captain  of  Prussian  Grenadiers.  The  im- 
pulse to  tell  her  was  fleeting,  for  he  had  almost 
forgotten  that  he  was  really  the  Hereditary 
Prince  of  Bayreuth,  and  his  identity  was  almost 
lost  in  the  captain  of  Grenadiers.  His  father, 
too,  seemed  dim  to  him. 

It  is  true  that,  at  this  time,  Henry  had  been 
in  Berlin  less  than  six  months,  but  a  month  is 
as  long  as  the  events  it  contains,  and  the  months 
Henry  had  spent  at  the  Prussian  court  had 
been  full  to  overflowing.  First,  of  course,  came 
the  great  event — his  love  for  Wilhelmina.  That 
in  turn  was  followed  by  the  still  greater  and  far 
more  startling  discovery  that  she  loved  him. 


294  A   GENTLE   KNIGHT 

Then  came  the  frightful  realization  that  he  had 
won  and  lost  the  only  thing  in  life  that  was 
really  worth  having — the  woman  he  loved,  that 
loved  him. 


THE  BETROTHAL  CEREMONY 

THE  really  brave  man  is  one  who,  clearly  see- 
ing a  danger,  can  ''screw  his  courage  to  the 
sticking-place"  and  face  it.  One  who  carefully 
considers  all  risks  and  determines  to  take  them 
regardless  of  consequences  is  one  of  whom  it 
is  well  to  beware.  Of  such  quality  was  the 
Margrave's  courage — when  he  had  any  at  all. 

Adolph  had  promised  Henry  and  the  princess 
that  he  would  refuse  Wilhelmina's  hand  and 
would  see  to  it  that  she  was  not  troubled  by 
Weissenfels.  How  he  intended  to  approach  the 
stormy  king  with  his  refusal,  neither  Henry  nor 
Mina  could  conjecture.  They  doubted  his 
courage  to  carry  the  project  through,  and 
feared  that  in  the  end  he  would  quail  before 
Grumkow,  bow  to  irate  Prussian  Majesty,  and 
notwithstanding  a  host  of  good  intentions, 
would  succumb  at  the  last  moment  to  violence 
and  threats.  His  mother,  too,  they  feared, 
would  stand  by  the  king,  and  urge  and  berate 
her  son  beyond  the  point  of  endurance.  They 
knew  that  he  had  always  been  putty  in  her 
vigorous  hands.  They  also  knew  that  her 

295 


296  A   GENTLE   KNIGHT 

heart  was  set  on  the  marriage,  and  that  she  had 
brought  Adolph  to  Berlin  at  Grumkow's  re- 
quest, for  that  and  for  no  other  purpose.  But 
their  greatest  fear  was  of  "Weissenfels,  in  case 
the  Margrave  really  developed  the  courage  and 
strength  necessary  to  refuse  Wilhelmina's 
hand,  and  to  beat  down  the  onslaught  of  her 
father  and  his  mother. 

If  the  Margrave  refused,  there  seemed  no 
way  to  avoid  the  worst  of  all  calamities — mar- 
riage with  Weissenfels — and  how  the  gentle 
Adolph  hoped  to  avert  that  evil  was  a  mystery 
neither  Henry  nor  Wilhelmina  could  solve. 
They  had  so  little  faith  in  his  ability  to 
carry  out  the  latter  half  of  his  promise 
that  they  had  never  even  asked  him  to  ex- 
plain his  plan,  and  as  the  day  of  betrothal 
approached,  they  began  to  fear  rather  than  to 
desire  Adolph 's  defiance  of  the  king.  The 
Margrave  was  so  infinitely  the  less  of  two 
evils  that  Mina  and  Henry  had  almost  con- 
cluded to  cling  to  the  ills  they  had  rather  than 
fly  to  those  of  which  they  already  knew  too 
much. 

For  several  days  before  the  time  set  for  the 
betrothal  ceremony,  the  Margrave  had  tried 
repeatedly  to  speak  his  mind  to  the  king,  but 
had  not  succeeded.  Thrice  he  had  endeavored 


OF    OLD   BBANDENBUKG          297 

to  fortify  his  soul  with  beer,  but  each  effort  had 
failed.  Either  he  did  not  take  enough  to  give 
him  courage,  or  he  took  so  much  that  he  went 
to  sleep  and  did  not  waken  until  he  again  needed 
fortifying. 

The  Margravine  of  Schwedt,  suspecting  her 
son's  intentions,  spoke  to  him  on  the  subject. 

"I  hope,  Adolph,  you  will  not  be  so  great  a 
fool  as  to  refuse  the  happiness  and  the  good 
fortune  the  king  offers  you." 

" Ach,  Gott,  mother!"  answered  the  Mar- 
grave, burying  his  face  in  his  hands.  ' '  A  man 
who  will  accept  a  woman  against  her  will  de- 
serves to  spend  an  eternity  in  hell." 

"But  the  princess  seems  willing,  though  I 
admit  she's  not  enthusiastic,"  suggested  the 
Margravine. 

"Not  entirely,"  interrupted  Adolph. 

' '  But  if  you  refuse  her,  she  will  suffer  a  worse 
fate — Weissenfels.  If  you  are  so  great  a  fool 
as  to  refuse  the  hand  of  the  princess,  I'll  dis- 
own you." 

"If  Weissenfels  were  out  of  the  question, 
and  you  advised  me  to  accept  the  princess's 
hand,  I  should  disown  you  and  find  another 
mother.  Yesj  by  the  devil,  that's  what  I'd 
do.  Now,  mother,  listen  to  me.  I  have  for 
many  years  listened  to  you,  and,  to  please  you, 


298  A   GENTLE    KNIGHT 

have  at  times  taken  your  advice  when  I  knew 
you  were  wrong.  Now,  hear  what  I  have  to 
say.  I  love  you  beyond  all  persons  save  one  in 
the  world,  but  I  am  Johann  Adolph,  Margrave 
of  Schwedt.  My  state  is  my  state;  my  people 
are  my  people ;  I  am  myself ;  you  are  of  the  past 
and  your  day  is  done.  In  this  matter  I  shall 
take  the  course  I  believe  to  be  right,  whatever 
that  may  turn  out  to  be,  and  if  you  throw  one 
straw  in  my  way, — well,  as  I  said,  you  may  look 
for  another  son,  and  I  shall  try  to  find  another 
mother,  or  do  without  one  altogether." 

"You  surprise  and  shock  me,"  said  the  Mar- 
gravine, timidly,  recognizing  that  Adolph  had 
come  to  his  strength. 

"I  so  intended,"  replied  Adolph,  "and  al- 
though I  would  not  cause  you  one  moment  of 
pain  if  I  could  avoid  it,  I  wish  to  impress  on 
your  mind  the  fact  that  I  do  not  want  your  ad- 
vice in  this  affair,  and  that  if  you  would  keep 
my  love,  you  will  not  interfere  unless  I  ask  you 
to  help  me  in  carrying  out  my  purposes,  what- 
ever they  may  prove  to  be." 

Thereupon  the  Margrave  walked  out  of  the 
room,  a  braver,  taller,  stronger  man  than  he 
had  ever  been  in  all  his  life  before. 

There  is  a  leavening  quality  in  courage  that 
seems,  like  yeast,  to  propagate  itself.  A  little 


OF    OLD    BEANDENBTJEa          299 

leaven  had  come  to  Adolph  through  his  defiance 
of  his  mother,  of  whom  he  had  always  stood  in 
great  fear;  would  it  leaven  the  whole  loaf? 

The  betrothal  ceremony  was  to  take  place  in 
the  afternoon.  On  the  morning  of  the  eventful 
day,  the  great  questions  to  be  solved  by  the 
Margrave  were,  first:  what  dress  he  should 
wear,  and  second :  should  he  get  himself  drunk. 
The  first  question  was  settled  after  a  long  con- 
sultation with  Henry  and  the  Margravine. 
She  was  very  joyful  in  the  belief  that  as  mat- 
ters had  progressed  thus  far,  they  would  con- 
tinue happily  to  the  end. 

The  serious  consideration  by  the  Margrave 
of  the  question  of  dress  seemed  to  indicate  that 
he  intended  abandoning  his  resolution  to  refuse 
Wilhelmina's  hand,  and  had  determined  to  al- 
low events  to  take  their  course,  as  decreed  by 
fate,  and  as  outlined  by  Grumkow  and  the 
king.  At  least,  it  showed  conclusively  that,  up 
to  that  time,  he  had  failed  to  summon  the 
courage  to  confront  the  king's  ire. 

The  second  question,  that  of  getting  himself 
drunk,  on  the  other  hand,  seemed  to  indicate 
that  he  wished  to  fortify  his  soul  for  an 
attack  on  Majesty  at  the  last  moment.  Henry 
had  begun  to  hope  that  the  Margrave 's  cour- 
age would  fail  him,  for  immediately  back  of 


300  A   GENTLE   KNIGHT 

his  refusal  to  marry  the  princess  stood  the 
horrible  specter,  Weissenfels. 

The  mother  advised  beer,  that  beverage 
being,  in  her  opinion,  a  sovereign  cure  for  every 
ill.  Although  the  time  was  full  of  trouble  and 
grief  for  Henry,  the  serious,  almost  prayerful 
consideration  of  these  two  questions  by  the 
Margrave  and  the  Margravine  was  so  ludicrous 
that  he  could  not  help  feeling  the  humor  of  the 
situation.  When  the  Margravine  advised  beer, 
Adolph  turned  an  inquiring  face  toward  Henry, 
as  if  to  ask:  "What  do  you  say,  drunk  or 
sober!" 

Henry  answered  the  mute  appeal:  "If  you 
drink  too  much  beer,  Margrave,  you  will  go  to 
sleep.  If  you  don't  drink  enough,  it  will  do 
you  no  good." 

" Ach,  the  captain  is  right,"  cried  the  excited 
Margravine.  Turning  to  Henry,  she  contin- 
ued, as  if  the  Margrave  were  not  present:  "If 
the  beer  does  not  make  him  drunk,  it  makes  him 
look  silly.  When  he  is  drunk  and  asleep,  cap- 
tain, he  is  beautiful.  His  face  is  as  calm  and 
as  sweet  as  a  child's.  Ach,  mein  liebling!" 
tenderly  cried  the  old  mother,  embracing  her 
son  and  lovingly  placing  her  cheek  against 
his,  "when  you  are  asleep,  you  remind  me  of 
your  babyhood." 


OF   OLD   BRANDENBURG          301 

"Yes,"  said  the  Margrave,  nodding  to  Henry 
and  confirming  his  mother 's  words  as  seriously 
as  if  he  had  often  seen  himself  asleep. 

So  it  was  arranged  that  the  Margrave  should 
take  only  a  sip  of  beer — say  two  quarts,  or  such 
a  matter — just  before  starting  to  the  ceremony. 
Then  Henry,  heavy  at  heart,  left  mother  and 
son  to  complete  the  arrangements  as  agreed 
between  them. 

At  two  o'clock  the  Mirrored  Hall  was  filled 
with  ladies  and  gentlemen  of  the  court.  Sev- 
eral dignitaries  and  noble  personages  were 
present  from  near-by  principalities,  though 
there  had  not  been  time,  owing  to  the  king's 
haste,  to  send  many  invitations  outside  of 
Brandenburg. 

The  king,  disdaining  a  throne,  sat  in  a  large 
chair  on  a  dais  of  one  step,  and  the  queen  sat 
in  a  smaller  chair  beside  him.  Her  Majesty's 
eyes  were  red  with  weeping  when  she  took  her 
place  beside  the  king.  Soon  again  tears  began 
to  stream  down  her  face,  and  she,  poor  woman, 
was  so  nearly  prostrated  that  she  could  make 
no  effort  to  stay  them. 

Beside  the  queen  stood  Don't  Care,  looking 
happy  and  very  much  amused.  Next  to  Don't 
Care  sat  the  Margravine  of  Schwedt  sound 
asleep.  At  the  king's  left  stood  the  Crown 


302  A   GENTLE   KNIGHT 

Prince,  on  whose  young  face  was  a  mask  that 
no  one  could  read.  Beside  the  Crown  Prince 
was  Grumkow,  clothed  in  true,  satanic  red. 
Back  in  the  room,  near  the  outer  door  leading 
to  the  garden,  was  Fritz  Henry,  and  what  his 
face  told  could  have  been  easily  read. 

The  room  was  filled,  save  a  small  space  in 
front  of  the  royal  dais,  with  beautifully  gowned 
ladies  and  men  in  gorgeous  uniform.  All  were 
standing,  and  when  the  queen  began  to  weep, 
most  of  the  ladies  followed  her  example,  for 
they  knew  they  were  present  to  witness  a 
tragedy. 

After  a  long,  painful  silence,  broken  only  by 
the  half  suppressed  sobs  of  women,  and  a  cough 
now  and  then  from  a  sympathetic  man,  the 
crowd  parted  and  left  an  aisle  leading  from  a 
side  door  to  the  open  space  in  front  of  the  royal 
dais.  Then  followed  another  long,  sob-laden 
period  of  silence,  while  the  Margrave  of 
Schwedt  and  pale  Wilhelmina  walked  down  the 
human  aisle  and  took  their  places  facing  the 
king.  When  Henry  saw  them  enter,  he  felt 
that  Wilhelmina 's  fate  was  sealed. 

When  the  princess  and  the  Margrave  had 
taken  their  places  before  the  king,  the  little 
minister — our  friend  of  The  Tabagie — stepped 


OF   OLD   BRANDENBURG          303 

before  them  and  offered  a  long  prayer.  After 
the  prayer,  he  addressed  Adolph,  saying: 

"Do  you,  Johann  Adolph,  Margrave  of 
Schwedt,  now  plight  your  faith  to  this  woman, 
whom  you  hold  by  the  hand,  and  do  you  prom- 
ise, in  God's  good  time,  to  enter  into  the  holy 
bonds  of  matrimony  with  her!" 

The  Margrave,  very  pale,  dropped  the  prin- 
cess's hand,  stood  trembling  for  a  moment,  and 
said: 

"Before  God,  I  do— not." 

A  buzz  of  astonishment  ran  through  the  room, 
and  Grumkow  stepped  toward  the  king  with  a 
mixed  look  of  terror,  surprise  and  disgust  in 
his  face.  His  Majesty,  hardly  understanding 
what  the  Margrave  had  said,  leaned  forward  in 
his  chair  and  asked  of  the  little  minister : 

"What  does  he  say?    What  does  he  say?" 

The  moment  intervening  between  the  Mar- 
grave's brave  response  and  the  king's  question 
had  given  Adolph  time  to  summon  his  courage. 
He  had  need  of  it  all,  and  it  came  to  him 
quickly.  He  did  not  wait  for  the  minister  to 
answer  the  king's  question,  but  cried  out 
excitedly : 

"No,  Frederick  William,  King  of  Prussia 
and  Brandenburg!  I  do  not  promise  to  plight 
my  faith  to  the  Princess  Wilhelmina,  though 


304  A   GENTLE   KNIGHT 

to  do  so  would  bring  happiness  to  my  life  such 
as  I  have  never  known.  No  man  who  is  half  a 
man  would  accept  a  woman's  hand  against  her 
will.  I  should  have  notified  your  Majesty  ere 
this  of  my  intention,  but  I  was  so  weak,  so 
cowardly,  so  craven  that  I  could  not  bring  my- 
self to  face  the  terrors  of  your  wrath.  Now  that 
I  am  brave,  I  am  able  to  thank  your  Majesty 
for  the  great  honor  you  have  done  me,  and  to 
tell  you  that  I  will  not  be  a  party  to  your 
cruelty,  nor  will  I  aid  and  abet  that  arch-vil- 
lain, Baron  Grumkow,  in  his  fiendish  designs 
against  the  Princess  "Wllhelmina,  and  his 
treasonable  purposes  against  your  Majesty. 
I  repeat :  his  treasonable  purposes  against  your 
Majesty." 

Grumkow  started  angrily  toward  Adolph, 
but  the  Margrave,  now  thoroughly  aroused  and 
excited  almost  to  the  point  of  frenzy,  met  the 
baron  half  way : 

"You  would  make  me  King  of  Prussia!"  he 
cried.  "I  know  your  purposes,  and  I  give  you 
fair  warning  as  my  enemy,  beware,  beware!" 

The  Margrave  held  up  the  palm  of  his  hand 
to  Grumkow  and  stood  for  a  full  minute  a  very 
statue  of  warning. 

Grumkow  drew  back  from  Adolph,  convinced 


1%- 

• 


OF    OLD   BRANDENBURG          305 

that  there  was  more  meaning  in  his  words  than 
appeared  on  the  surface. 

Voltaire  has  said  that  fear  follows  guilt 
and  is  its  punishment.  Grumkow  was  usually 
brave  in  his  evil  deeds,  but  the  weight  of  vil- 
lainy he  carried  on  his  conscience  would  have 
made  a  coward  of  any  man.  Following  rapidly 
in  the  train  of  the  Margrave 's  words,  there 
came  to  Grumkow  a  consciousness  of  their 
truth,  and  the  baron's  one  thought  was  that  his 
fine  plots  had  been  discovered.  So  when  the 
king  rose  angrily,  intending  to  assault  the  Mar- 
grave, Grumkow  stepped  to  his  side,  whispered 
a  word  in  the  royal  ear,  and  Majesty  stood 
still  for  a  moment,  looking  as  if  he  were  about 
to  explode. 

"If  you  were  not  so  great  a  fool,  I  would 
cane  you,"  said  his  Majesty.  "You  shall  take 
the  girl  for  your  wife,  or  I'll  have  you  flayed 
alive!" 

The  Margravine,  who  had  been  awakened  by 
the  king's  loud  talking,  caught  his  Majesty's 
threat  of  personal  violence  to  her  son,  and 
immediately  hurried  to  the  rescue.  By  the 
time  she  had  reached  a  position  in  front  of  the 
dais,  she  had  fully  gathered  her  wrath,  and 
though  naturally  of  a  kind  and  jovial  disposi- 
tion, her  wrath,  when  once  gathered,  was  a 
20 


306  A   GENTLE    KNIGHT 

thing  to  be  respected,  and  if  possible  avoided, 
even  by  kings. 

"You  would  flay  my  son  alive?"  she 
screamed,  addressing  the  king.  "If  you  harm 
but  one  hair  of  his  head,  you — you  cruel  tyrant, 
you  abject  old  fool — if  you  harm  but  one  hair 
of  his  head,  my  uncle  of  Austria  and  my  cousin 
of  England  will  take  your  miserable  little  king- 
dom from  you,  and  will  tear  your  gouty  limbs 
from  your  body.  Flay  my  son,  would  you? 
Dare  but  to  lay  your  hand  on  him,  and  I'll 
scratch — "  Thereupon  the  Margravine  stepped 
on  the  dais  with  evident  intent  to  put  her  threat 
into  execution.  The  king  sought  refuge  behind 
his  chair.  Grumkow  started  to  interfere,  but 
the  furious  Margravine  soon  ran  him  to  cover. 
The  queen  kept  her  chair,  hardly  conscious  of 
what  was  happening.  Don't  Care  was  laugh- 
ing heartily,  and  a  smile  of  unmistakable  pleas- 
ure illumined  the  face  of  the  Crown  Prince. 

When  the  king  was  safely  ensconced  behind 
his  chair,  the  Margravine  again  opened  fire  at 
long  range : 

"You  would  flay  my  son  alive?  Achl  Boast- 
ful words  butter  no  parsnips,  and  your  brave 
threats  do  not  frighten  me.  My  son  and  I  are 
safe  from  your  cruelty,  your  tyranny  and  your 
madness.  I  tell  you,  Frederick  William,  there 


OF   OLD   BRANDENBUKG          307 

are  two  men  at  this  court,  sent  here  by  Austria, 
who  are  false  both  to  you  and  to  their  master. 
Their  treason  is  known  to  every  one  in  Branden- 
burg save  you,  who  have  most  need  to  know  it. 
Aye,  their  treason  is  known,  and  they  may  hang 
one  of  these  fine  days,  and  achieve  the  only 
good  of  which  they  are  capable,  by  furnishing 
an  example  to  other  traitors!" 

Several  pairs  of  knees  shook  with  fear  when 
their  owners  heard  the  Margravine's  words, 
and  Grumkow,  already  frightened  by  Adolph's 
ominous  threat,  almost  felt  the  hangman's 
noose  about  his  neck,  and  trembled  with  fear 
such  as  he  had  never  known  before.  Anxious  to 
silence  the  old  woman  at  any  cost,  Grumkow 
approached  the  king,  and  his  Majesty,  smother- 
ing his  rage,  carefully  watched  the  Margravine 
until  she  had  stepped  backward  off  the  dais, 
then  resumed  his  chair. 

"No  one  asked  you  for  your  daughter's 
hand!"  continued  the  enraged  Margravine, 
now  screaming  at  the  top  of  her  voice.  '  *  Grum- 
kow sent  for  us  to  come  to  Berlin,  and  you  have 
never  consulted  the  wishes  of  either  my  son  or 
myself.  You  ordered  your  daughter  to  marry 
my  son.  Her  disinclination  is  apparent  to  all, 
and  the  Margrave  of  Schwedt  is  too  much  of  a 
man  and  too  fine  a  gentleman  to  accept  the  hand 


308  A   GENTLE   KNIGHT 

of  a  princess  against  her  will.  We  refuse; 
we  spurn  your  offer.  We  will  not  marry  your 
daughter.  If  you  had  a  hundred  daughters, 
we  would  not  marry  them.  You — you — Ach, 
Gott,  I  must  scratch  you!" 

The  king,  showing  symptoms  of  alarm, 
started  to  rise  from  his  chair  to  seek  safety 
behind  it,  but  the  Margravine  did  not  carry  out 
her  threat.  She  closed  her  address  to  the  king 
by  repeating: 

"Do  not  forget  that  my  uncle  of  Austria  and 
my  cousin  of  England  long  for  an  excuse  to 
take  your  miserable  little  kingdom  from  you, 
and  to  tear  your  wretched  old  body  limb  from 
limb !  You  know  that  my  words  are  far  from 
empty,  and  I  defy  you  to  lay  a  hand  on  my  son, 
the  Margrave  of  Schwedt!" 

"She  has  said — much,"  remarked  Adolph, 
speaking  softly  to  himself,  and  blinking  with  a 
rapidity  never  before  achieved. 

The  brave  old  Margravine  bowed  low  to  the 
king  and  hobbled  back  to  her  chair,  where  she 
sat  down,  almost  out  of  breath,  but  with  a  sweet, 
triumphant  sense  of  victory  that  brought  joy 
to  her  heart  and  peace  to  her  soul. 

While  the  Margravine  was  fanning  herself, 
the  weeping,  almost  hysterical  queen  stepped 
down  from  the  dais  and  embraced  the  brave  old 


OF   OLD   BRANDENBURG          309 

woman,  much  to  the  disgust  of  Grumkow  and 
the  king,  and  greatly  to  the  delight  of  every 
other  person  in  the  hall.  Don't  Care  thought 
the  whole  scene  was  better  than  a  play,  and 
doubtless  she  was  right. 

While  the  old  lady  was  expressing  her  mind 
to  Frederick  William,  Sonnsf  eld  and  one  of  the 
queen's  ladies  had  led  Wilhelmina  from  the 
frighful  scene  to  an  adjoining  room. 

Confusion  reigned  in  the  Mirrored  Chamber. 
Women  were  whispering  and  weeping  hyster- 
ically; men  were  talking,  loudly  approving  the 
Margrave's  manly  act,  and  to  Grumkow 's  ears 
the  uproar  was  like  the  ominous  rumbling  of 
an  avenging  host. 

"Bravo,  Margrave!"  "Vive  le  Schwedt!" 
"Noble  Adolph!"  with  an  occasional  "Down 
with  Grumkow!"  came  from  different  parts  of 
the  room,  carrying  terror  to  Grumkow 's  heart, 
and  adding  valor  to  the  Margrave's  ever  in- 
creasing stock  of  courage. 

"Vive  le  Schwedt!"  were  the  sweetest  sounds 
that  had  ever  fallen  on  Adolph 's  ears,  and  they 
so  wrought  upon  him  that  he  feared  neither 
man  nor  devil.  Virtue  certainly  was  its  own 
rich  reward  for  the  Margrave. 

The  cries  from  the  room  had  increased  rather 
than  diminished  the  king's  anger,  so  after  a 


310  A   GENTLE   KNIGHT 

whispered  conversation  with  Grumkow,  he 
spoke  as  if  addressing  the  assembled  company : 

"  Bring  the  Duke  of  Weissenfels — bring 
Weissenfels!  I'll  not  have  my  will  thwarted 
by  an  old  woman  and  a  fat  fool ! ' ' 

The  king,  having  addressed  no  one  in  par- 
ticular, no  one  offered  to  fetch  his  Grace  of 
Weissenfels,  so  his  Majesty  again  cried  out: 

1  'Bring  the  Duke  of  Weissenfels,  I  say!  Do 
you  hear  me?  Bring  the  Duke  of  Weissenfels !" 

Still  no  one  offered  to  go,  so  the  Margrave, 
who  had  grown  calm,  smiled,  shrugged  his 
shoulders,  bent  low  before  the  king,  and  said 
with  mock  humility : 

' l With  your  Majesty's  kind  permission,  I 
will  bring  the  duke." 

"Go,  go!"  cried  the  king.  "Don't  stand 
there  like  a  fool  gaping  at  me!" 

Adolph  turned  toward  the  outer  door,  and 
when  he  saw  Henry,  cried  joyfully: 

"Come  with  me !  Come  with  me !  Of  all  the 
men  in  the  world,  I  want  you  most!  Come, 
come!  You  shall  see!  You  may  help." 

Lackeys  opened  the  door,  and  the  hatless 
Margrave,  followed  by  Henry,  strode  across 
the  garden  to  the  wing  of  the  palace  in  which 
the  Duke  of  Weissenfels  was  lodged.  His 
Grace  had  refused  to  be  present  at  the  ceremony 


OF   OLD   BRANDENBURG          311 

of  betrothal,  and,  with  two  congenial  spirits, 
had  remained  in  his  room,  nursing  his  chagrin, 
and  cuddling  his  wrath  against  Adolph. 

The  Margrave  hurriedly  climbed  the  narrow 
flight  of  stairs  leading  to  the  duke's  room  and 
entered,  closely  followed  by  Henry.  Without 
a  word  of  warning,  he  walked  up  to  the  duke, 
who  was  sitting  at  a  table.  The  Margrave  was 
going  to  speak,  but  Weissenfels  forestalled 
him: 

"You  think  you  have  won,"  cried  his  Grace, 
fiercely.  "Sacrement!  you  shall  never  live  to 
enjoy  your  bride!  You  beast!  You  hog!  You 
poltroon!" 

The  duke  struck  the  Margrave  with  his  cane, 
and  began  to  rise  threateningly.  Adolph  re- 
turned the  blow,  striking  "Weissenfels  in  the 
face  with  the  palm  of  his  hand.  Thereupon 
the  duke  and  his  friends  snatched  their  swords 
from  the  rack,  and  prepared  to  attack  the  in- 
truder. Henry  quickly  drew  his  sword  and 
stepped  between  the  Margrave  and  his  foes. 

"One  at  a  time,  gentlemen;  one  at  a  time!" 
said  Henry,  easily  keeping  the  duke  at  bay  with 
his  sword  point. 

"Yes,  one  at  a  time  and  at  this  time!"  cried 
the  excited  Margrave,  again  striking  the  duke, 
and  drawing  his  sword.  "And  this  one  first!" 


312  A   GENTLE   KNIGHT 

By  that  time  the  duke  was  beside  himself 
with  anger,  and  thirsting  for  blood,  was  striv- 
ing to  attack  the  Margrave.  Henry  held  the 
Margrave  back,  while  the  duke's  friends  led 
his  Grace  to  the  opposite  side  of  the  room. 
Each  of  the  principals  was  trembling  with  rage, 
and  the  duke  was  blaspheming  in  a  manner  to 
congeal  a  Christian's  blood.  In  an  unlucky 
moment  the  duke's  friends  relaxed  their  hold, 
and  he  rushed  across  the  room  with  drawn 
sword,  evidently  intending  to  kill  the  Margrave. 
Weissenfels  made  a  lunge  that  would  have 
ended  Adolph's  days  had  not  Henry  parried 
the  thrust.  The  duke  kept  up  his  attack,  but 
Henry's  skill  with  the  sword  was  so  superior 
that  his  Grace  was  beaten  backward  toward  his 
friends.  Again  the  duke  came  forward,  but 
his  anger  so  blinded  him  that  he  was  almost 
powerless  against  Henry,  who  could  have  killed 
him  easily.  Again  the  duke  fell  back.  By  the 
time  Weissenfels  was  beginning  his  second 
retreat,  the  Margrave,  who  had  recovered  his 
self-possession,  laughed  and  cried  out: 

liAch,  let  him  come!  Let  him  come!  He 
wants  to  die!" 

With  a  nimbleness  not  to  be  expected,  Adolph 
followed  up  his  receding  foe.  Like  a  flash  of 
light,  his  sword  shot  forward,  and  so  great  was 


OF   OLD   BRANDENBUBG          313 

the  weight  behind  it  that  its  point  protruded 
from  the  duke's  back.  The  duke  fell  forward 
toward  the  Margrave,  who  thrust  him  back,  and 
his  Grace  of  Weissenfels  fell  to  the  floor  dead, 
with  the  Margrave's  sword  standing  in  his 
body. 

Adolph  had  kept  his  word;  Wilhelmina  was 
free. 

The  Margrave  was  as  cool  as  if  he  had  been 
doing  nothing  more  exciting  than  drinking  a 
few  quarts  of  beer. 

"Permit  me,"  said  he,  bowing  politely  and 
addressing  the  duke's  friends,  who  had  sought 
refuge  from  the  raging  lion  of  Schwedt  in  the 
farthest  corner  of  the  room.  "Permit  me.  My 
sword,  I  fear,  would  inconvenience  his  Grace 
when  they  go  to  bury  him." 

The  Margrave  smiled  broadly,  drew  his 
sword  from  the  duke's  body,  calmly  wiped  it 
on  the  table  cover,  and  again  addressing  the 
men  in  the  corner,  asked: 

"Do  either  or  both  of  you  gentlemen  feel 
aggrieved  ? ' ' 

Ah,  the  Margrave  had  come  to  his  own. 
From  a  gentle  lamb  he  had  grown  to  be  a 
devastating  lion.  His  grotesqueness  of  form 
and  face  had  all  disappeared,  and  he  stood 
awaiting  a  reply,  a  beautiful  example  of  what 


314  A   GENTLE   KNIGHT 

high  courage  and  exalted  emotions  will  do  for 
a  man  physically,  mentally  and  morally. 

One  of  the  men  in  the  corner  stepped  for- 
ward, saying  to  Henry: 

"I  have  no  grievance  against  his  Highness 
of  Schwedt.  I  regret  the  duke's  uncalled-for 
attack.  He  has  paid  the  penalty.  He  has  been 
threatening  to  kill  the  Margrave  before  the 
wedding.  We  have  tried  to  show  him  his  error, 
and  now  he  has  suffered  its  consequences.  The 
Margrave  of  Schwedt  was  in  no  way  to  blame. 
His  Grace  of  Weissenfels  was  the  unprovoked 
aggressor.'* 

Henry  felt  that  the  moment  had  arrived  for 
arranging  evidence  that  would  protect  the  Mar- 
grave against  the  charge  of  murder,  should  one 
be  made,  so  he  said: 

"A  few  minutes  since,  the  Margrave  of 
Schwedt  refused  the  hand  of  the  princess,  and 
at  the  king's  command,  came  to  notify  the 
Duke  of  "Weissenfels  that  his  Majesty  wished 
his  Grace  to  take  the  Margrave's  place." 

Adolph,  who  was  standing  like  a  triumphant 
gladiator,  resting  his  sword-point  on  the  floor, 
looked  up  at  Henry's  face  in  wonder  and  was 
about  to  speak,  but  Henry  silenced  him  by  a 
motion  of  the  hand. 

A  minute  or  two  of  awkward  silence  followed, 


OF   OLD   BRANDENBURG         315 

during  which  the  Margrave  felt  a  re-action  from 
his  excitement.  Then  he  spoke  dreamily, 
absent-mindedly,  as  if  he  were  only  half  con- 
scious of  his  words. 

"What  this  man  needs,"  said  Adolph,  touch- 
ing the  duke's  body  with  his  foot,  "is  a  coffin. 
You  must  not  fail  to  have  it  made  long  enough. 
In  the  language  of  Henry  of  France,  I  might 
say, '  God !  How  long  he  is ! '  I  am — I  am  very 
sorry — very  sorry  that  I  had  to  do  it." 

The  Margrave  relaxed  his  heroic  pose;  his 
sword  dropped  to  the  floor ;  he  covered  his  face 
with  his  hands;  his  flesh  quivered  spasmodic- 
ally, and  tears  trickled  between  his  fingers. 

Henry  took  up  the  sword,  grasped  Adolph 's 
arm,  led  him  from  the  room,  and  they  went 
down  the  narrow  flight  of  steps  to  the  garden. 

When  they  were  well  away  from  the  building, 
Henry  said: 

' '  My  dear  friend,  you  have  kept  your  word  to 
the  letter.  But  you  must  be  ruled  by  me.  You 
must  hear  what  I  have  to  say  and  you  must 
remember  it.  You  did  not  attack  the  duke; 
you  went  to  him  with  the  king's  message,  and 
he  attacked  you ;  you  did  not  intend  to  kill  him ; 
you — " 

"Oh,  yes,  I  did,"  answered  Adolph,  sobbing; 
"I  did  intend  to  kill  him.  Murder  has  been  in 


316  A   GENTLE   KNIGHT 

my  heart  ever  since  the  evening  in  Eitter's 
summer-house.  I  did  not  intend  it  as  it  hap- 
pened. I  expected  to  insult  him  and  hoped  to 
force  him  to  come  with  me  to  the  garden, 
where  I  would  have  killed  him,  though  I  ex- 
pected to  give  my  life  for  the  privilege  of 
doing  it." 

"That  may  all  be  true,"  said  Henry,  "but 
no  one  knows  of  your  intention  or  its  reason. 
The  duke's  two  friends  who  were  present  dur- 
ing the  fight,  acknowledge  that  Weissenfels  was 
the  aggressor.  They  and  I  will  vouch  for  the 
fact  that  you  killed  him  in  self-defense.  Our 
evidence  will  save  you  a  great  deal  of  trouble, 
and  will  serve  to  lighten  the  burden  of  sorrow 
in  the  heart  of  the  princess.  She  would  die  of 
remorse  if  she  knew  that  you  had  deliberately 
murdered  the  Duke  of  Weissenfels  to  save  her. 
She  would  blame  herself  for  his  death.  She 
may  suspect  your  real  motive,  but  if  she  believes 
that  you  killed  him  in  defense  of  your  own  life, 
and  if  she  learns  that  he  was  the  aggressor,  she 
will  be  glad  that  it  was  the  duke  and  not  you 
that  died." 

"But  I  went  there  to  kill  him,"  protested 
Adolph. 

"Yes,  yes,"  continued  Henry;  "I  know  you 
did,  but  the  duke  would  have  killed  you  if  he 


OF    OLD    BRANDENBUBG          317 

could,  and  you  killed  him  in  self-defense.  What 
your  original  intentions  were  are  no  part  of 
what  really  happened,  and  no  one  will  ever 
know  of  them  unless  you  want  to  crow  like  a 
rooster,  out  of  pure  vanity,  and  wish  to  add  to 
the  burden  of  unhappiness  the  princess  already 
bears/' 

"Ach,  Gott,  no,"  sighed  Adolph.  "I  some- 
times tickle  my  vanity  by  indulging  the  fancy 
that  I  am  not  the  fool  people  think  I  am,  but 
when  it  comes  to  the  test,  I  always  find  that  I 
am  more  than  a  fool ;  I  am  an  idiot.  You  are 
right.  The  course  you  advise  is  the  only  one 
that  will  not  add  to  Wilhelmina's  unhappiness. 
She  is  to  be  considered,  and  she  only.  Why 
did  I  not  at  once  see  the  wisdom  of  your  sug- 
gestion? But  it  is  not  too  late." 

"So  we'll  tell  the  story  of  the  duke's  death 
as  it  happened,"  said  Henry,  "and  no  one  save 
you  and  I  shall  ever  know  that  you  in- 
tended to  kill  him  when  you  left  the  Mirrored 
Chamber. ' ' 

"Your  advice  is  good,"  sighed  Adolph. 
"Please  hasten  to  the  king  with  the  news.  I'll 
go  to  my  room.  I'm  almost  as  dead  as  Weis- 
senfels.  You  know  my  heart  is  very  weak. 
Please  come  to  me  soon,  my  friend  of  friends. 
I  need  you." 


318  A   GENTLE    KNIGHT 

The  Margrave  entered  the  palace  by  a  small 
door  leading  to  a  privy  stairway,  and  when  he 
reached  his  room,  fell  half  conscious  on  his 
bed. 

Fritz  Henry  hurried  to  the  Mirrored  Cham- 
ber, where  he  found  the  king  waiting  sullenly 
for  Weissenfels.  The  queen  was  weeping. 
Grumkow,  standing  near  the  king,  was  in  deep 
thought,  his  face  expressing  an  intensity  of 
fear  that  could  have  come  only  from  a  stricken 
conscience.  Great  excitement  prevailed  among 
the  guests,  but  when  Henry  went  to  the  king, 
a  deathlike  silence  fell  upon  the  room,  broken 
only  by  the  queen's  sobs. 

"Will  your  Majesty  grant  me  a  word  pri- 
vately?" he  asked. 

The  king  assented,  and  Henry  told  him  that 
the  Margrave  had  gone  to  the  Duke  of  Weissen- 
fels to  deliver  his  Majesty's  message;  that  the 
duke  had  made  a  murderous  attack  upon  the 
Margrave,  who,  to  save  his  own  life,  had  been 
compelled  to  kill  him. 

The  king's  slow  brain  did  not  fully  compre- 
hend what  Henry  said,  and  after  a  moment's 
silence,  his  Majesty  spoke  in  a  loud  voice  that 
could  be  heard  all  over  the  room : 

"Schwedt  has  killed  Weissenfels,  say  you?" 

The  queen  screamed  and  fainted.     The  Mar- 


OF    OLD   BRANDENBURG          319 

gravine  of  Schwedt  sprang  to  her  feet,  crying 
out  excitedly: 

"Mein  Gott,  ach,  mein  Gott!  What  is  it 
all?" 

Several  women  in  the  audience  fainted.  Men 
crowded  about  the  royal  dais  and  pandemonium 
itself  set  in.  Grumkow  sprang  to  the  king's 
side.  His  Majesty  turned  his  attention  to  the 
queen  for  a  moment,  but  when  she  recovered 
sufficiently  to  be  taken  from  the  room,  he 
stepped  down  from  the  dais  and  went  to  Fritz 
Henry. 

"Let  us  get  away  from  this  howling  mob," 
growled  the  king,  addressing  Henry  and 
Grumkow. 

His  Majesty  started  to  leave  the  room,  indi- 
cating that  Henry  should  follow.  Many  of  the 
guests  crowded  about  the  king,  eager  to  learn 
the  particulars  of  what  had  happened,  but  he 
cursed  them  and  drove  them  off  with  his  cane. 

When  the  king,  Grumkow  and  Henry  reached 
a  private  room,  His  Majesty  turned  to  Henry, 
saying : 

"Now  tell  me  all  about  it,  and  don't  lie,  as 
you  value  your  life." 

Henry  drew  away  from  the  king,  bent  low 
before  him,  and  answered: 

"If  your  Majesty  fears  that  I  shall  lie  to  you, 


320  A   GENTLE   KNIGHT 

I  advise  you  to  find  some  one  else  to  tell  you  of 
the  unfortunate  affair,  and  I  beg  that  I  may 
have  your  permission  to  withdraw." 

"He  isn't  afraid  of  the  devil,"  mumbled  the 
king.  "I  did  not  say  that  you  would  lie.  I 
said  you  must  not  lie.  Go  on,  in  God's  name, 
and  tell  me  the  truth,  whatever  it  may  be.  Go 
on,  and  do  not  fear  to  speak  the  truth." 

Henry  then  told  the  king  the  full  particulars 
of  all  that  had  happened  in  the  duke's  room, 
and  referred  his  Majesty  to  the  duke's  friends 
for  confirmation  of  the  story. 

t(Ach,  well,  I'm  glad  he's  dead,"  sighed  the 
king.  "I  have  always  hated  him.  He  was  an 
infidel,  and  I'm  glad  he's  out  of  my  way." 

With  this  remark  his  Majesty  left  the  room, 
and  was  never  again  heard  to  speak  the  name 
of  the  Duke  of  Weissenfels. 


CHAPTEE  XVIII 

AFTER  THE  BATTLE 

THE  refusal  of  the  Margrave  to  marry  the 
princess,  and  the  death  of  Weissenfels,  left  Wil- 
helmina  without  a  suitor,  and  at  once  raised 
the  queen's  hopes  of  reviving  the  English  mar- 
riage project.  That,  of  course,  was  the  one 
alliance  Grumkow  wished  to  avoid,  so  on  the 
evening  of  the  eventful  betrothal  day,  the 
baron's  soul  was  wrapped  in  gloom.  Either 
Schwedt  or  Weissenfels  would  have  been  the 
keystone  to  the  arch  of  his  plans,  but  the  events 
of  one  day  had  taken  them  both  from  him.  In 
addition  to  his  loss,  the  words  and  threats  of 
the  Margrave  and  the  Margravine  rang  omi- 
nously in  his  ears,  falling  like  the  knell  of  doom 
upon  his  soul.  It  was  a  sad  day  for  Grumkow, 
and  the  night  was  sleepless.  To  avoid  the  Eng- 
lish union,  the  princess  must  be  married,  and 
if  possible,  her  husband  must  be  a  man  whom 
Grumkow  could  use.  Where  was  there  such  a 
man?  That  was  one  of  the  questions  which 
shrouded  Grumkow 's  soul  in  gloom. 

On  leaving  the  king,  Henry  hurried  to  the 
room  of  the  Margrave,  and  found  that  valiant 

21  821 


322  A   GENTLE   KNIGHT 

warrior  sound  asleep  as  the  result  of  many  hur- 
ried libations  of  beer,  taken  with  true  intent  to 
drown  his  care.  Being  unable  to  rouse  the 
Margrave,  he  went  to  see  the  Crown  Prince, 
who  had  been  taken  back  to  his  garret  prison, 
and  there  Henry  narrated  the  details  of  the 
fight. 

"Who  would  have  thought  that  the  fat  fool 
had  it  in  him  ? ' '  asked  Fritz,  gazing  meditatively 
out  the  window. 

"I  do  not  think  he  is  a  fool,"  said  Henry. 
"I  think  he  is  one  of  the  finest  characters  I 
have  ever  known,  and  I  am  glad  to  call  him 
my  friend." 

"He  has  been  Mina's  friend,"  said  the 
prince,  suddenly  awakening  to  the  impor- 
tance of  the  situation.  "Do  you  know,  I  am 
just  beginning  to  see  the  quality  and  the  quan- 
tity of  the  Margrave's  extraordinary  day's 
work.  He  has  completely  upset  all  of  Grum- 
kow's  plans,  and  has  liberated  Wilhelmina,  at 
least  for  a  time.  Brave  Margrave!  Noble 
Margrave!  He  must  be  insane!" 

"I  think  no  man  was  ever  more  sane  than 
the  Margrave  has  been  throughout  the  whole 
affair,"  said  Henry.  "He  was  greatly  excited, 
as  you  could  see,  in  the  Mirrored  Chamber,  but 
he  was  sane,  and  after  he  killed  the  duke,  was 


OF    OLD   BRANDENBURG          323 

so  cool  that  he  laughed  when  he  drew  his  sword 
from  the  body,  and  apologized  for  relieving 
him  of  the  inconvenient  weapon." 

"Tell  him  to  look  to  his  safety,"  said  the 
Crown  Prince.  "Grumkow  will  not  easily  for- 
give the  injury,  and  revenge,  though  it  may  be 
delayed,  will  be  sure." 

"I  fear  you  are  right,"  returned  Henry, 
"and  I  also  fear  that  Adolph  will  be  an  easy 
mark.  He  is  apt  to  fall  into  any  net  Grumkow 
may  spread  for  him.  His  only  protection  lies 
in  the  fact  that  he  is  related  to  the  Emperor 
of  Austria,  Grumkow 's  real  master;  therefore 
the  baron's  revenge  cannot  be  taken  openly. 
I  believe  the  king  is  greatly  relieved  at  the  out- 
come of  affairs.  His  order  to  the  princess  to 
marry  Schwedt  or  Weissenfels,  I  am  sure,  was 
wholly  the  result  of  Grumkow 's  intolerable 
influence.  Sometimes  I  cannot  help  believing 
that  the  king  is  under  Grumkow 's  spell,  and  is 
not  a  free  agent  when  that  arch-fiend  prac- 
tises on  his  weakness  and  manipulates  his 
prejudices." 

"I  have  known  that  to  be  true  for  a  long 
time,"  said  the  Crown  Prince.  "If  it  is  not 
true,  my  father  is  a  greater  fiend  than  Grum- 
kow. Sometimes  I  am  sorry  for  my  father, 
for  I  frequently  catch  glimpses  of  real  love  in 


324  A   GENTLE   KNIGHT 

his  heart  for  Mina  and  for  me.  Grumkow  is 
at  the  bottom  of  all  of  our  trouble,  and  if 
Schwedt  would  only  kill  him,  I  should  fall  on 
my  face  before  Adolph,  and  place  his  heavy 
foot  upon  my  neck. ' ' 

Henry  would  have  given  any  price  for  a 
word  with  the  princess,  but  he  knew  he  could 
not  have  it.  His  good  fortune  did,  however, 
lead  him  to  Mile.  Sonnsfeld  as  he  was  leaving 
the  prince's  garret.  She  was  hastening  to  the 
prince  with  a  message  from  Wilhelmina,  telling 
him  of  the  turn  affairs  had  taken.  Fritz  Henry 
stopped  the  maid,  and  eagerly  asked  news  of 
her  mistress. 

"She  is  in  bed  and  ill,"  answered  Sonnsfeld, 
"but  she  will  soon  be  well.  The  cloud  has 
passed  for  a  time,  and  I  hope  she  may  now  have 
a  few  days  of  rest." 

"I  should  like  to  send  word  to  her — a  letter, 
if — if  possible,"  said  Henry,  hesitating  to  speak 
plainly  to  Sonnsfeld. 

"You  need  not  fear  to  speak  your  mind  to 
me,"  said  Kate.  "I  know  all.  The  princess 
told  me.  To  convince  you  that  I  know,  I  can, 
if  you  wish,  tell  you  about  the  garden  house 
at  Bitter's.  I  will  gladly  take  a  letter  for 
you." 


OF   OLD   BBANDENBUBG         325 

Henry's  impulse  to  kiss  the  girl  was  re- 
strained only  by  motives  of  policy. 

"If  you  will  meet  me  just  after  dark  at  the 
privy  stairway  leading  from  the  apartments  of 
the  princess,  I  shall  be  glad  to  take  your  mes- 
sage, and  I  may  have  one  for  you, ' '  said  Sonns- 
feld,  glancing  up  at  Henry's  face.  "I  feel  sure 
it  will  be  as  great  a  pleasure  to  my  mis- 
tress to  give  as  to  receive,  for  she  has  spoken 
of  you  many  times  to-day." 

The  girl  hurried  away,  and  Henry  went  to 
the  Margrave's  room,  hoping  that  sleep  would 
have  dissipated  at  least  a  part  of  the  fumes  of 
the  beer.  When  he  succeeded  in  arousing 
Adolph,  there  was  a  moment  of  blear-eyed  con- 
fusion, followed  by  a  semi-comatose,  somewhat 
cloudy  period  of  cavernous  yawns,  which  in 
turn  was  succeeded  by  the  dawning  sun  of  in- 
telligence. The  sun,  when  once  it  began  to  rise, 
rapidly  climbed  up  the  horizon  of  the  Mar- 
grave's mind,  achieved  the  noon  of  clear  con- 
ception, and  Adolph  was  awake.  His  excite- 
ment had  all  passed  away,  and  the  humorous 
side  of  life  again  presented  itself  to  his  view. 
The  wonted  smile,  which  many  persons  called 
a  grin,  spread  itself  over  his  face.  He  rubbed 
his  eyes,  rose,  looked  regretfully  at  his  shoes, 
knowing  that  the  arduous  task  of  getting  them 


326  A   GENTLE    KNIGHT 

on  his  feet  was  before  him,  sighed,  sat  down 
on  the  edge  of  his  bed,  looked  up  at  Henry,  and 
said: 

"Ach,  Gottl    I  have  done — much.'* 

"Very  much,"  assented  Henry. 

There  was  a  long  pause. 

"Wha — wha — what  did  Stumpy  say?"  asked 
Adolph,  speaking  through  a  yawn. 

"I  told  him  all  about  the  fight,"  answered 
Henry.  "He  said,  'I'm  glad  he  is  dead.  I  al- 
ways hated  him',  and  with  that  he  turned  on 
his  heel  and  walked  away.  But  I  thought 
Grumkow  would  drop  dead  of  an  apoplexy.  If 
he  had  done  so,  the  day  would  have  been  the 
most  glorious  in  Prussian  history." 

"Ach,  the  devil  can't  die,"  responded  the 
Margrave,  still  giving  vent  to  an  occasional 
yawn,  "and  Grumkow  is  the  devil  in  propria 
persona." 

"I  quite  agree  with  you,"  said  Henry. 

While  the  Margrave  was  struggling  to  put 
on  his  unruly  shoes,  he  said : 

"Tell  me  of  the  princess."  There  was  a 
moaning  cadence  in  his  voice;  he  dropped  his 
shoe  to  the  floor,  covered  his  face  with  his 
hands  and  fell  back  on  the  bed.  He  was  the 
picture  of  woe,  though  a  moment  before  he  had 
been  laughing. 


OF    OLD   BRANDENBURG         327 

"Sonnsfeld  tells  me  her  mistress  is  ill,"  said 
Henry,  "but  assures  me  that  she  will  soon  be 
well.  To  be  relieved  suddenly  of  the  burden 
she  has  borne  for  several  months  is  enough  to 
prostrate  her,  but  joy  never  kills,  and  she  will 
soon  recover  from  the  shock." 

The  Margrave  did  not  answer,  but  lay 
moaning  on  the  bed.  After  a  long  silence, 
Henry  said: 

"She  has  great  cause  to  be  thankful  to  you, 
Margrave.  You  kept  your  promise  when  it 
did  not  seem  possible  for  you  to  accomplish 
anything.  What  a  tremendous  scene  you 
raised  when  you  defied  the  king !  Adolph,  you 
are  the  bravest  man  I  ever  knew." 

"It  was  not  bravery  that  prompted  me," 
said  Adolph,  rising  again  and  sitting  on  the 
edge  of  his  bed.  ' '  It  was  desperation.  I  dared 
not  take  the  princess  for  myself,  and  I  would 
have  died  a  thousand  deaths  before  leaving  her 
to  Weissenfels.  You  see  it  was  fear,  not  brav- 
ery, that  drove  me  on.  From  this  time  forth, 
I  suppose  I  shall  be  expected  to  live  up  to  the 
standard  of  what  I  did  to-day." 

He  breathed  a  sigh,  placed  his  hand  on  his 
heart  as  if  in  pain,  and  continued.  " Ach,  that 
would  be  hard  work,  and  I  hope  my  friends 
will  not  expect  it  of  me.  It  would  be  too  hard 


328  A   GENTLE   KNIGHT 

for  me.  I  like  my  comfort,  my  mother  and  my 
beer.  Love  and  courage  are  not  for  Adolph. 
He  flew  to-day ;  he  soared  high,  but  for  the  rest 
of  his  life  he'll  walk — or  sit.  Adolph  is  tired." 

The  Margrave  again  became  silent  for  a 
moment.  Still  sitting  on  the  edge  of  the  bed, 
he  sighed  deeply,  shook  his  head  mournfully, 
and  spoke,  as  if  to  himself: 

"Why  did  I  ever  leave  my  dear,  restful 
Schwedt?  My  mother  coaxed  me,  shamed  me 
and  misled  me.  True,  she  did  it  out  of  love  for 
me,  but  she  was  wrong,  and  there's  no  good  ex- 
cuse for  being  wrong.  Love  is  not  for  me.  Ach, 
Gottl  Think  of  my  condition,  my  friend," 
he  said,  turning  to  Henry.  "Imagine,  if  you 
can,  a  man  starving  for  food,  yearning  for 
even  one  little  morsel  to  stay  his  gnawing. 
That  of  itself  would  be  hard  enough;  but 
if  he  takes  his  place  at  a  beautiful  table,  cov- 
ered with  delicious  food,  from  which  he  may, 
if  he  will,  satisfy  his  cravings,  but  for  reasons 
self-imposed,  will  not  take  a  morsel,  then — then 
he  has  made  a  mistake.  He  should  have  chosen 
hell.  He  would  have  been  more  comfortable 
there. ' ' 

Again  the  Margrave  threw  himself  on  the  bed 
and  covered  his  face  with  his  hands. 

Henry  waited  until  he  rose  again,  then  taking 


OF   OLD   BRANDENBURG          329 

him  by  the  hand,  led  him  to  a  chair  at  the  win- 
dow, and  sat  down  near  him. 

7  \ 

' '  Grumkow  will  not  forgive  you  for  what  you 
have  done,  and  his  revenge  will  be  sure  if  you 
do  not  leave  Berlin,  or  take  steps  to  avert  the 
consequences  of  his  hatred,"  said  Henry. 

"I  am  sure  you  are  right,  and — and  I  want  a 
copy  of  the  letter  you  showed  me.  That  will 
be  the  only  step  I  need  take.  I  shall  have  the 
devil  in  my  power.  It  will  be  the  first  time  in 
the  history  of  the  world  that  man  has  ever 
shackled  the  devil.  Come,  come,  let  me  have 
the  copy.  Here  are  paper,  quill  and  ink.  Fetch 
me  the  letter  and  I  will  copy  it." 

"I  fear — "  began  Henry,  but  the  Margrave 
interrupted  him. 

1  'Fetch  it,  I  say.  Gott,  man!  Can't  you 
trust  me,  even  after  to-day?" 

"I'll  bring  the  letter  at  once,"  answered 
Henry,  leaving  the  Margrave's  room. 

When  Henry  returned,  Adolph  put  on  his 
large  spectacles  and  began  laboriously  copying 
the  letter.  Fully  half  an  hour  was  required, 
but  when  the  copy  was  finished,  it  was  like 
copperplate,  so  perfect  was  the  penmanship. 
Meantime,  Henry  sat  at  the  window,  looking 
down  upon  the  garden,  thinking  of  the  Mar- 


330  A   GENTLE   KNIGHT 

grave 's  metaphor  of  the  hungry  man  who  would 
not  eat. 

Longing  fathers  hope,  and  hope  is  the  mother 
of  dreams.  But  Henry's  dreams  were  shat- 
tered all  too  quickly  by  the  Margrave,  who 
came  to  his  side  with  a  joyful  laugh  and  a 
dancing  step,  exclaiming: 

"Now,  I  have  the  devil  in  fetters.  I  do  not 
fear  him.  Let  us  compare.  I  will  read  my 
copy  and  you  read  the  original." 

The  Margrave  read  the  copy,  which  proved 
to  be  correct. 

"Aeh,  there  are  the  devil's  shackles,"  he 
cried  joyfully,  as  he  folded  the  paper  and  placed 
it  carefully  in  a  pocket  of  his  waistcoat.  ' '  The 
devil  may  not  know  for  some  time,  perhaps  for 
many  days,  that  he  is  shackled.  But  would  you 
not  give  a  good  round  sum  to  see  him  squirm 
and  struggle,  and  belch  forth  fire  and  sulphur- 
ous smoke  when  he  feels  the  irons  tightening 
about  him?" 

' '  I  hope  you  do  not  expect  to  crush  Grumkow 
by  showing  this  letter  to  the  king,"  said  Henry. 

"I  do  not,"  answered  the  Margrave,  swag- 
gering about  the  room  in  the  pride  of  his 
strength.  "If  I  fire  my  gun  by  showing  the 
letter  to  the  king,  and  by  mischance  fail  to  kill 
the  devil,  his  satanic  majesty  would  be  loose 


OF   OLD   BRANDENBURG          331 

again,  and  Adolph  of  Schwedt  would  become 
his  imp.  No,  no;  I'm  no  such  fool.  A  loaded 
gun  is  a  fearsome  thing.  Wait  till  my  oppor- 
tunity comes;  then  watch  for  satanic  convo- 
lutions such  as  the  world  has  not  hitherto 
witnessed." 

As  soon  as  darkness  had  fallen,  Fritz  Henry 
hurried  to  the  garden,  when,  after  a  short  time, 
he  had  the  great*  pleasure  of  seeing  Sonnsfeld 
emerge  from  the  stairway  door.  She  gave  him 
a  letter,  received  one  in  return,  and  soon  after- 
wards two  hearts  were  happy  despite  the  fact 
that  they  had  no  right  to  be  other  than  miser- 
able. 

The  next  day  Henry  and  the  Crown  Prince 
accompanied  the  king  to  Spandau  Castle,  where 
they  remained  two  or  three  weeks  without 
hearing  news  from  Berlin. 

Wilhelmina's  marriage,  the  Margrave's  bold 
refusal  and  Weissenfels'  death  all  seemed  to 
have  been  dismissed  from  the  king's  mind. 
Trouble  was  brewing  with  King  George  over  a 
few  loads  of  hay  that  had  been  stolen  by  Prus- 
sian subjects  from  a  disputed  tract  of  ground 
lying  between  Brandenburg  and  Hannover. 
King  Frederick  William's  entire  attention  was 
given  to  drilling  recruits,  preparatory  to  war 
if  it  should  come. 


332  A   GENTLE   KNIGHT 

Meanwhile  affairs  at  court  were  moving  along 
with  a  smoothness  which  would  have  been  lack- 
ing had  the  king  been  at  home.  Wilhelmina 
soon  recovered  her  health,  and  with  Fritz 
Henry's  letter  hidden  lovingly  in  her  bosom, 
was  happier  than  she  had  been  for  many  a  day. 

When  Sonnsfeld  delivered  the  letter,  she 
said: 

' '  He  was  so  handsome  that  I  had  half  a  mind 
to  tell  him  he  might  send  a  kiss  to  you  by  me. ' ' 

"I  should  be  glad  to  have  one,"  answered 
Mina,  laughing,  "but  he  would  not  have  sent  it 
by  you." 

"Why!" 

"Because,  to  send  me  a  kiss  by  you,  he  must 
first  kiss  you,  and  he  would  not  do  that." 

"Am  I  not  pretty  enough  to  tempt  him?" 
asked  the  wise  Sonnsfeld,  knowing  full  well  that 
she  was  decidedly  pretty. 

"Yes,  Kate,"  answered  Mina,  "you  are  very 
pretty  with  your  big  blue  eyes,  your  red  cheeks 
and  redder  lips,  but  no  one  is  pretty  enough  to 
tempt  him.  However,  I  don't  want  you  to  be 
trying." 

"You're  a  jealous  person,"  retorted  Sonns- 
feld. 

"I  fear  I  am,"  replied  the  princess.  "But 
I  do  want  to  keep  all  of  his  love  while  I  may. 


OF    OLD   BRANDENBURG          333 

It  will  be  the  one  bright  spot  in  my  whole  life. 
Kate,  did  you  ever  dream  of  what  life  would  be 
as  the  wife  of  the  man  you  loved,  who  loved 
you?" 

"Yes,  Mina,"  responded  Sonnsfeld,  breath- 
ing a  low  sigh.  "Save  for  my  dreams  about 
you,  I  have  no  other  occupation. " 

"You  have  no  lover?'*  asked  Wilhelmina, 
looking  quickly  up  at  Kate's  face.  "So  why  do 
you  dream?" 

"I  dream  for  the  same  reason  that  every 
other  girl  dreams.  Why  did  you  dream  before 
you  met  the  Handsome  Captain?" 

"I  did  not  dream — that  is,  I  did  not  dream 
so  much  as  now." 

"Ah,  well,  my  sweet  Mina,  dream  while  you 
can.  You  may  live  all  your  life  through  hoping 
for  a  reality  that  will  exceed  your  dreams  in 
happiness,  but  if  you  find  it,  you  will  be  luckier 
than  most  women.  What  men  get  out  of  life 
that  is  better  than  dreams,  I  do  not  know. 
Dreams  are  not  for  them.  I  fancy  the  angels 
sent  dreams  into  the  world  for  woman's 
especial  benefit,  to  compensate  her  for  enduring 
life's  terrible  realities.  I  wonder  who  the 
Handsome  Captain  is?" 

"He  is  an  Englishman  of  rank,"  answered 
Wilhelmina,  *  *  though  I  do  not  know  his  degree, 


334  A   GENTLE   KNIGHT 

and  confess  I  have  not  given  the  subject  a 
thought." 

"How  did  you  learn  that  he  is  an  English- 
man?" asked  Kate. 

"I  knew  it  when  I  first  heard  him  speak 
English,"  replied  Wilhelmina.  "His  name  is 
English,  and  Don't  Care  said  that  father  told 
her  he  was  English.  The  Margrave  also  says 
he  learned  it  from  what  the  captain  said. 
What  has  hecome  of  the  Margrave?  I  have 
not  seen  him  since  the  momentous  day.  I  never 
knew  as  rare  a  character  so  thoroughly  dis- 
guised, but  as  his' wife  I  should  have  died." 

"A  woman  may  endure  a  great  deal  without 
dying,"  said  Kate.  "At  times  God  seems  to 
be  stingy  of  death  in  dealing  with  us." 

"I  wonder  who  will  be  the  next  candidate  for 
my  hand,"  queried  Wilhelmina. 

"Since  Don't  Care  won't  have  the  Hereditary 
Prince  of  Bayreuth,  the  king  may  thrust  him 
upon  you,"  suggested  Kate. 

"They  say  he,  too,  is  a  most  repulsive  man," 
replied  Wilhelmina.  "I  wish  I  could  defy  the 
king,  and  disobey  him  and  wheedle  him  as 
Don't  Care  does." 

"A  person  must  be  born  coarse  of  grain  and 
selfish  of  heart  to  be  a  successful  bully," 
answered  Kate. 


OF   OLD   BKANDENBUEG          335 

" Whatever  is  required,  I  wish  I  had,"  re- 
turned Wilhelmina.  " Don't  Care  refused  to 
consider  the  Hereditary  Prince  of  Bayreuth, 
and  the  matter  was  dropped.  How,  suppose 
you,  did  she  learn  about  him?" 

After  a  moment's  hesitancy,  Sonnsfeld  re- 
plied : 

"She  got  her  information  from  the  Hand- 
some Captain.  She  said  he  told  her  that  the 
Prince  of  Bayreuth  was  very  repulsive  in  per- 
son, but  she  laughed  and  said  she  feared  the 
Handsome  Captain  was  jealous  and  was  trying 
to  prejudice  her  against  his  rival.  She  also 
said  she  did  not  care ;  that  she  did  not  want  the 
Hereditary  Prince,  nor  any  man  unless  she 
could  get  the  Handsome  Captain,  who,  she 
avowed,  was  dying  of  love  for  her.  The  Mar- 
grave confirmed  the  captain's  report  of  the 
Hereditary  Prince,  and  from  that  time  forth, 
Don't  Care  would  hear  no  more  of  the  pro- 
jected marriage  with  Bayreuth." 

"It  does  seem,"  said  Wilhelmina,  sadly, 
"that  when  God  gives  a  man  high  rank,  he 
withholds  all  other  good  qualities." 

"Your  brother  is  an  exception,"  suggested 
Sonnsfeld. 

"Yes,  he  is  an  exception.    He  seems  to  me  to 


336  A   GENTLE   KNIGHT 

be  perfect  in  every  way,"  agreed  Wilhelmina, 
readily.  "The  poor  Margrave 's  defects  are 
all  physical,  but — " 

"We  will  not  talk  about  the  Margrave,"  in- 
terrupted Sonnsfeld.  "Let  us  talk  about  the 
Handsome  Captain,  and  then  we  will  go  to 
sleep."  And  Kate's  program  was  carried  out. 


CHAPTER  XIX 

ADOLPH  SHACKLES  THE  DEVIL 

WHILE  Henry  and  the  prince  were  at  Span- 
dan  Castle,  affairs  at  court  were  readjusting 
themselves  to  the  new  conditions.  The  king, 
who  made  periodical  visits  to  Berlin,  treated 
the  Margrave  as  usual,  for  he  liked  him  not- 
withstanding his  contempt  for  him  which  was 
profound  and  unconcealed.  He  seemed  to  have 
forgotten  the  Margrave's  part  in  the  affairs 
of  the  day  of  disappointment.  Perhaps,  if 
Adolph  had  been  of  more  importance  in 
royal  eyes,  Frederick  William  would  have 
resented  his  contumacy,  but  the  king  was  able  to 
control  his  violence  when  he  knew  it  was  to  his 
advantage,  and  may  have  made  the  Margrave's 
insignificance  an  excuse  for  forgiving  him. 

To  injure  Adolph  and  to  offend  the  Margra- 
vine of  Schwedt,  Prussian  Majesty  felt  sure 
would  be  giving  England  and  Austria  their 
much  desired  pretext.  Therefore  state  policy 
and  indifference  to  so  contemptible  a  person 
as  Adolph  prompted  the  king  to  overlook  his 
great  affront,  and  to  treat  him  as  if  nothing 
unusual  had  happened. 

22  387 


338  A   GENTLE   KNIGHT 

It  was  easily  shown  by  the  evidence  of  the 
duke's  companions  that  the  killing  of  Weissen- 
fels  had  been  in  self-defense,  and  as  his  Grace's 
relatives  felt  deeply  obliged  to  Adolph,  the 
matter  was  dropped.  So  the  good  folks  from 
Schwedt  remained  in  the  palace,  tolerated  if 
not  honored  guests. 

Soon  after  the  eventful  day,  the  Margravine 
suggested  to  her  son  the  advisability  of  return- 
ing to  the  quiet  precincts  of  Schwedt,  but 
Adolph  stoutly  refused  to  move. 

"You  would  have  me  come,"  he  answered, 
"and  being  here,  I  intend  to  remain  till  I  am 
quite  ready  to  go." 

Grumkow  refused  to  speak  to  Adolph  save 
to  insult  him  whenever  an  opportunity  pre- 
sented, and  it  was  evident  to  every  one  that  the 
king's  apathetic  view  of  the  Margrave's  great 
work  did  not  pervade  the  heart  of  the  baron. 

Thus  much  for  the  situation  in  the  palace 
touching  Adolph.  He  seemed  to  be  safe,  but 
the  cunning  of  the  devil  is  of  a  subtle,  danger- 
ous quality,  and  is  deceitful  in  appearances. 

When  the  queen  recovered  from  the  shock  of 
the  scene  in  the  Mirrored  Hall,  she  was  a  very 
happy  woman.  With  Schwedt  and  Weissen- 
fels  out  of  the  way,  the  beloved  English  pro- 


OF    OLD   BRANDENBURG          339 

ject  stood  a  chance  of  revival,  and  her  Majesty, 
much  to  Grumkow 's  annoyance,  lost  no  time 
in  beginning  the  resuscitating  process.  The 
king,  who  was  anxious  to  avoid  war  with  Eng- 
land, was  almost  convinced  by  the  queen  that 
the  renewal  of  marriage  negotiations  would  be 
the  best  way  of  pacifying  King  George.  He 
listened  with  considerable  patience  to  his  wife, 
though  he  took  no  steps  toward  reopening  the 
English  negotiations.  Grumkow  was  able  to 
see  to  that. 

Wilhelmina's  marriage  once  more  became  a 
living  issue,  and  was  discussed  in  The  Tabagie 
one  evening,  the  king  having  come  over  from 
Spandau  for  that  purpose.  Grumkow  dwelt 
eloquently  on  the  wrongs  Prussia  had  suffered 
at  the  hands  of  England.  He  spoke  with  tears 
of  the  insufferable  insults  that  had  been  put 
upon  "our  gracious,  just,  our  wise  and  gentle 
king  by  the  English  tyrant,  who  would  trample 
Prussia  under  his  despotic  heel."  Grumkow's 
eloquence  easily  brought  the  king  back  to  his 
old-time  frenzy,  and  though  his  Majesty  did 
not  explicitly  declare  that  nothing  would  be 
done  in  relation  to  the  English  marriage,  he 
showed  very  clearly  that  his  distaste  for  the 
project  and  his  hatred  for  King  George  still 
existed. 


340  A    GENTLE    KNIGHT 

The  specter  of  the  English  marriage  fright- 
ened Grumkow,  since  that  alliance  would  effect- 
ually put  an  end  to  the  fine  schemes  for  his  own 
aggrandizement,  and  would  disgrace  him  with 
his  real  master,  the  Emperor  of  Austria. 

To  prevent  it,  Grumkow  must  find  another 
husband  for  Wilhelmina.  Schwedt  and  Weis- 
senfels  being  out  of  the  way,  there  was  no  man 
at  hand  who  would  serve  his  purpose  better 
than  August  of  Saxony.  So  in  desperation, 
and  out  of  sheer,  poison-hearted  hatred  for  the 
beautiful  princess,  this  incarnation  of  Satan 
proposed  King  August,  the  moral  leper  of 
Christendom,  for  Mina's  husband.  Adolph 
was  present  at  The  Tabagie  when  Grumkow 's 
suggestion  was  put  forward,  and  again  he  was 
in  trouble.  Having  grown  careless  of  conse- 
quences, he  ran  to  the  head  of  the  table  where 
Grumkow  was  standing  beside  the  king's  chair. 
He  interrupted  the  baron  by  shaking  his  fist 
under  his  nose,  and  after  that  aggressive  move- 
ment, turned  to  the  king,  exclaiming: 

"Why  do  you  not  kill  your  daughter?  She 
had  a  thousand  times  better  be  dead  than  mar- 
ried to  the  man  this — this  arch-fiend  suggests." 

Brave  Margrave!  Noble  Margrave!  There 
was  not  in  all  Brandenburg  and  Prussia  an- 


341 

other  man  who  would  have  dared  speak  those 
words  unless  it  were  the  Handsome  Captain. 

"Take  this  man  away  and  put  him  to  bed!'* 
growled  the  king. 

Two  Tabagians  led  the  Margrave  from  the 
room,  while  he  shouted  anathema  against 
Grumkow. 

After  the  Margrave's  expulsion  from  The 
Tabagie,  he  was  not  put  to  bed,  but  was  per- 
mitted to  go  his  way  alone,  so  he  went  im- 
mediately to  the  queen's  boudoir.  When  a  lady 
in  waiting  met  him  at  the  door,  he  sent  word  to 
her  Majesty  that  he  wished  to  speak  to  her  on  a 
subject  of  great  importance,  and  was  at  once 
admitted.  Standing  before  the  queen,  hat  in 
hand,  and  almost  breathless,  Adolph  began  to 
explain  his  mission. 

"I  have  just  been  put  out  of  The  Tabagie," 
he  exclaimed,  excitedly,  "and  have  hastened 
to  tell  your  Majesty  that  Grumkow  has  sug- 
gested the  King  of  Poland  for  your  daughter's 
husband. ' ' 

"Which  daughter?"  exclaimed  Don't  Care, 
who  was  seated  at  the  harpsichord. 

"The  Princess  Wilhelmina,"  responded 
Adolph. 

"Oh!"  said  Don't  Care,  turning  again  to  the 


342  A   GENTLE    KNIGHT 

harpsichord,  and  running  her  fingers  carelessly 
over  the  keys. 

*  *  Stop  that  noise ! ' '  cried  the  queen.  * '  Where 
is  your  sister?" 

"I'm  sure  I  don't  know,"  answered  Don't 
Care,  without  turning  her  face  toward  the 
queen.  "She  is  in  bed,  I  suppose.  Shall  I 
carry  the  welcome  news  to  her  1 ' ' 

"No,"  said  the  queen  sharply.  "Keep  still. 
Now,  you — you—  ' '  waving  her  hand  toward  the 
Margrave,  "go  on,  go  on." 

"Madam,  I  have  told  you  all  there  is  to  tell," 
answered  Adolph,  blinking  and  standing  on  one 
foot  ,to  rest  the  other.  "Grunikow  proposes 
King  August;  your  husband  seems  to  take 
kindly  to  the  proposition,  and  curses  England 
and  the  English  marriage.  That  is  all.  I  have 
said — much. ' ' 

"It  is,  indeed,  much,"  answered  the  queen. 
"What  can  we  do?" 

"If  your  Majesty  will  allow  me  to  speak,  I, 
who  am  of  so  little  moment  in  your  eyes,  may 
be  able  to  make  a  suggestion  which  may  be 
worth  hearing." 

"In  God's  name,  speak,"  answered  the 
queen.  "What  you  have  to  say  may  be  worth 
listening  to.  I  haven't  anything  else  to  do  just 
now.  Go  on." 


OF   OLD   BEANDENBUEG          343 

"If  your  Majesty  insists  on  trying  to  revive 
the  English  marriage — " 

1  'For  the  love  of  God!"  cried  the  queen. 
"Is  this  fool,  too,  going  to  try  to  talk  me  out 
of  it?" 

"Shall  I  proceed?"  asked  the  Margrave, 
with  a  flash  of  anger. 

"Yes,  yes,  go  on,"  returned  the  queen, 
impatiently. 

"If  your  Majesty  insists  at  this  time  on  put- 
ting forward  the  English  marriage,  you  will 
surely  precipitate  the  union  with  Saxony.  You 
have  already  learned  the  brutal  strength  of 
Grumkow's  hand.  What  now  would  be  the  fate 
of  the  princess  if  I  had  failed  to  come  to  her 
rescue?  King  August  will  not  refuse  her  hand 
as  I  did,  and  I  may  not  be  able  to  kill  his 
Majesty  of  Poland.  Listen  to  the  advice  of 
one  who  has  proved  himself  your  friend.  Drop 
the  English  project  at  once  if  you  would  not 
bring  ruin  on  yourself  and  on  the  princess,  and 
try  to  find  for  your  daughter  a  husband  more 
suitable  than  King  August." 

Don't  Care  rose  from  the  harpsichord,  and 
ran  laughing  to  the  queen. 

"Let  me  present  to  my  sister  my  prince — the 
Hereditary  Prince  of  Bayreuth,"  said  the  little 


344  A   GENTLE   KNIGHT 

princess,  who  seemed  to  look  upon  the  situation 
as  a  rare  jest. 

Much  to  Don't  Care's  surprise,  the  Margrave 
cried  joyfully:  ''That  is  the  very  thing,  your 
Majesty.  It  is  a  wise  suggestion.  The  Prince 
of  Bayreuth  is  a  fine  gentleman. ' ' 

1  'Oh,  is  he?"  exclaimed  Don't  Care.  "You 
told  me  he  was  not.  Perhaps  I  don't  want  to 
give  him  up." 

The  Margrave  saw  his  mistake,  and  silently 
thanked  the  princess  for  interrupting  him. 

"Will  your  Highness  kindly  permit  me  to 
finish?"  he  said,  lifting  a  protesting  palm  to 
Don't  Care.  "I  was  about  to  say  that  the 
Hereditary  Prince  of  Bayreuth  is  a  fine  gentle- 
man compared  with  the  King  of  Poland.  He 
is  not  handsome,  and  perhaps  he  is  not  to  a 
lady's  taste,  but  he  is  a  deeply  pious  man,  very 
honest  and  very  just." 

"Do  you  know  him?"  asked  the  queen. 

"Yes,  your  Majesty,"  returned  Adolph. 

"Tell  me  of  him,"  commanded  the  queen. 

Adolph  paused  a  moment  to  refresh  his 
halting  memory:  "He  is  tall,  well  educated, 
very  pious,  very  honest  and  very  poor.  As 
I  have  said,  his  personal  appearance  is — 
well,  he  is  better  off  in  that  respect  than  I; 
God  knows,  better  off  than  I — much." 


OF   OLD   BEANDENBURG          345 

"We'll  think  of  what  you  have  said,"  re- 
turned the  queen.  "It  will  interfere  with 
Grumkow's  plan,  at  least,  for  a  time.  Good- 
night, and  thank  you.  Your  intentions  are 
good,  and  your  advice  may  be — may  be  even 
better.  I  am  sorry  I  spoke  sharply  to  you." 

Adolph  left  the  queen  and  went  to  his  room. 
There  he  lay  down  on  his  bed,  heavy  of  heart, 
and  tried  to  go  to  sleep.  Finding  sleep  im- 
possible, he  rose  and  left  the  palace  by  a 
postern  to  which  he  had  the  key.  After 
wandering  about  for  an  hour,  he  sought  his 
favorite  tavern,  "The  Big  Sausage,"  drank 
several  quarts  of  good,  rich  beer,  and  soon  was 
sleeping  like  a  child. 

Owing  to  Grumkow's  watchfulness,  the  queen 
was  unable  to  see  the  king  for  several  days  after 
the  interview  with  Adolph,  but  when  she  saw 
his  Majesty,  she  told  him  that  she  had  heard 
of  Grumkow's  kind  suggestion  touching  the 
Saxony  alliance.  She  also  told  him  her  mind 
on  the  subject.  The  king  listened  for  a  time 
and  broke  forth  in  storm. 

"I'm  tired  of  hearing  the  English  marriage 
drummed  into  my  ears,  and  I  tell  you  I'll  not 
endure  it  another  day.  You  are  so  great  a  fool 
that  you  will  never  drop  it  till  the  girl  is  mar- 
ried. She  shall  marry  at  once — August  or  a 


346  A   GENTLE   KNIGHT 

lackey.  It  is  all  one  to  me,  so  that  I  get  her 
married  and  stop  your  maddening  harangue 
about  the  English  marriage.  England,  never! 
Any  one  else — very  well.  But  make  the  choice 
at  once,  for  married  she  shall  be  immediately. 
If  you  do  not  choose  a  husband  for  her  who  is 
satisfactory  to  me,  August  of  Saxony  shall 
have  her.  If  she  refuses — she  already  knows 
what  her  fate  will  be,  and  she  knows  what  will 
befall  her  brother  and  her  friends." 

The  king  left,  and  Wilhelmina,  who  was 
present  during  the  interview,  was  once  more  in 
despair. 

Presently  Don't  Care  laughed  and  called 
to  Wilhelmina  across  the  room:  "Take  my 
prince,  Mina.  I'll  go  single  all  my  life  rather 
than  have  my  sister  marry  King  August." 
Don't  Care's  cruelty  was  by  no  means  the  least 
of  Mina's  troubles. 

There  seemed  nothing  better  to  do  than  to 
accept  the  offer,  so  within  a  few  days  the 
queen  and  Wilhelmina  notified  his  Majesty 
that  the  princess  would  marry  the  Hereditary 
Prince  of  Bayreuth  if  their  choice  met  with  the 
king's  approval. 

When  the  subject  was  brought  up  in  The 
Tabagie,  Grumkow  did  not  approve,  conse- 
quently the  king  was  averse,  so  word  was  sent 


OF    OLD   BKANDENBUKG          347 

to  the  queen  and  the  princess,  notifying  them 
that  another  choice  must  be  made. 

The  next  evening  before  supper,  the  Mar- 
grave, who  had  heard  the  verdict  at  The 
Tabagie,  presented  himself  at  the  door  of 
Grumkow 's  house,  and  asked  to  see  him.  Ad- 
mittance was  refused  until  word  was  sent  in  by 
Adolph  that  he  bore  a  message  from  the  queen. 
Then  he  was  ushered  into  the  baron's  presence, 
and  bravely  entered  upon  his  dangerous  and 
desperate  undertaking. 

"The  queen  and  the  Princess  Wilhelmina 
wish  me  to  say  that  their  choice  has  fallen  on 
the  Prince  of  Bayreuth,  and  that  the  princess 
will  marry  none  other." 

"They  know  the  consequences,"  growled 
Grumkow ;  * '  and  if  that  is  all  you  came  to  say, 
be  gone!" 

"I  have  more  to  say — much,"  answered 
Adolph,  breathing  heavily,  and  suppressing 
his  anger.  "Please  read  this  copy  of  a  letter 
written  by  you  some  time  ago  to  Madame 
Kamen." 

Grumkow  sprang  to  his  feet  at  the  mention 
of  Eamen's  name,  but  quickly  resumed  his 
chair,  and  by  a  great  effort  composed  himself. 
He  took  the  paper  from  Adolph,  read  it  and 
handed  it  back  with  the  remark : 


348  A   GENTLE   KNIGHT 

"I  know  nothing  of  the  letter.  It  is  not  in 
my  handwriting. ' ' 

"I  hope  you  do  not  suppose  I  would  be  so 
great  a  fool  as  to  entrust  you  with  the  orig- 
inal," asked  Adolph,  smiling  and  folding  the 
paper.  ''The  original  is  not  in  Berlin.  It  is 
in  the  hands  of  a  powerful  man,  a  prince, 
whose  word  the  king  will  accept  unhesitatingly. 
If  his  Majesty  does  not  approve  the  queen's 
choice  of  the  Hereditary  Prince  of  Bayreuth, 
or  if  by  any  chance  evil  befalls  me,  my  friend, 
who  holds  the  original  of  this  letter,  will  pre- 
sent it  to  the  king. ' ' 

"I  don't  care  when  the  letter  is  given  to  the 
king,"  said  Grumkow,  with  all  the  coolness  of 
innocence.  "It  was  not  written  by  me,  and  I 
shall  pay  no  attention  to  it  nor  to  your  threats. 
Others  have  tried  the  same  game  with  Grum- 
kow, and  they  are  now  living  in  underground 
dungeons  in  Spandau  Castle.  I  have  a  mind 
to  have  you  kicked  from  my  house." 

The  Margrave  had  regained  his  self-posses- 
sion, and  was  as  calm  as  the  baron. 

"If  you  lay  a  hand  on  me,  Baron  Grumkow, 
I  swear  before  God  that  the  original  of  this 
letter  will  be  placed  before  the  king,  and  will  be 
published  to  the  people  of  Brandenburg  and 
Prussia.  It  will  be  corroborated  by  evidence 


OF   OLD   BRANDENBURG          349 

t 
that    cannot   be    doubted,    evidence    that   will 

hang  you  and  a  score  of  your  confederates,  in- 
cluding your  mistress,  Madame  Ramen.  I  am 
not  speaking  idly.  Your  plots  are  known  to 
many  persons  in  Brandenburg,  and  you  are 
living  over  a  mine." 

"Your  ravings  disgust  me!  Go!"  shouted 
Grumkow,  rising  and  pacing  the  room  nerv- 
ously. 

The  Margrave,  following  closely  at  the 
baron's  heels,  continued: 

"If  by  to-morrow  night  at  ten  o'clock,  the 
king  has  not  given  his  consent  to  the  marriage 
of  the  Princess  Wilhelmina  and  the  Hereditary 
Prince  of  Bayreuth,  the  original  of  this  letter, 
and  the  evidence  to  corroborate  it,  will  be  sent 
broadcast  over  the  entire  land,  and  you  will  be 
unable  to  reach  the  borders  of  Brandenburg  in 
time  to  save  your  life.  Death  hangs  over  you, 
Baron  Grumkow,  and  after  death,  the  bottom- 
less pit  of  hell.  You  may,  if  you  wish,  assassi- 
nate me,  but  you  will  gain  nothing,  for  I  am  no 
part  of  the  evidence  against  you.  I  simply  hold 
your  enemies  in  check  for  the  purpose  of  gain- 
ing  my  point.  If  you  assassinate  me,  you  pre- 
cipitate your  troubles,  for  in  all  the  world  there 
will  be  no  one  that  can  save  you.  The  original 
of  the  letter  and  the  evidence  to  support  it  will 


350  A   GENTLE    KNIGHT 

* 

be  used  to  hang  you.  Take  my  advice,  Baron 
Grumkow;  if  you  hear  of  my  death,  lose  no  time 
in  getting  out  of  Brandenburg.  You  know  that 
you  wrote  the  original  letter.  I  need  not  try 
to  convince  you  that  I  also  know  it.  How 
it  came  to  the  hands  that  now  hold  it  need  not 
trouble  you.  By  to-morrow  night  I  shall  expect 
a  favorable  answer  from  the  king.  Au  revoir, 
Baron. ' ' 

When  the  Margrave  started  to  the  door, 
Grumkow  called  him  back,  but  he  would  not 
return.  With  head  erect,  and  heart  throb- 
bing with  pride,  he  walked  from  the  house  to 
Zur  Groszen  Wurst,  where  he  proceeded  with 
earnest  deliberation  to  get  himself  very  drunk. 
He  succeeded — much. 

The  next  morning  the  Margrave  was  out  of 
bed  early,  bright  and  alert  as  any  boy.  He 
ordered  a  great  dish  of  big  sausage  with  cab- 
bage and  garlic  fried  in  vinegar  and  oil,  that 
being  the  inn's  chef  d'oeuvre,  and  thus 
strengthened,  sallied  forth  for  the  day. 

In  the  evening  he  attended  The  Tabagie, 
where  the  proposition  of  the  queen  to  offer 
Wilhelmina's  hand  to  the  Hereditary  Prince  of 
Bayreuth  was  to  be  discussed. 

Before  the  session  began,  Grumkow  ap- 
proached Adolph  very  civilly,  and  in  the  gra- 


OF    OLD   BRANDENBURG          351 

cious  manner  of  which  he  was  master,  invited 
him  to  a  conference  apart  from  the  other  mem- 
bers. 

"My  dear  Margrave,"  said  Grumkow,  affec- 
tionately placing  his  hand  on  Adolph's  arm, 
"you  have  been  deceived  by  some  designing 
person,  who  has  tried  to  induce  you  to  believe 
that  the  letter  you  saw  and  copied  was  written 
by  me.  I  am  sure  you  are  honest  in  your 
belief,  but  my  dear  Margrave,  pause  a  moment 
and  think.  Do  you  suppose  I  could  be  so  great 
a  fool  as  to  write  that  letter  I" 

"Every  man  is  a  fool  in  spots,"  answered 
Adolph,  throwing  out  his  chest  and  proudly 
lifting  his  head  as  he  delivered  himself  of  the 
truism. 

"But  I  am  not  a  fool  in  that  spot,"  insisted 
the  baron,  smiling  kindly. 

"Ach,  don't  argue  with  me,"  Adolph  an- 
swered, impatiently;  "I  know  the  letter  is 
yours,  and — " 

"Speak  softly,"  interrupted  Grumkow. 
"Speak  softly;  these  fools  may  hear  you." 

"I  know  the  letter  is  yours,"  said  Adolph, 
ignoring  Grumkow 's  request,  and  speaking 
in  a  loud  voice.  "I  know  it  is  yours  and 
you  know  that  I  know  it.  I  am  waiting  to 
learn  what  the  king  does.  If  he  fails  to  act 


352  A   GENTLE   KNIGHT 

to-night  in  accordance  with  my  suggestion  to 
you,  my  one  word  of  advice  is:  beware.  The 
person  to  whom  you  wrote  the  letter  has  long 
been  receiving  money  from  your  enemies,  and 
is  a  traitor  to  you.  She  will  swear  to  you  that 
she  is  true,  of  course,  and  you  will  believe  her, 
as  you  have  done  many  times  before  when  she 
was  false  and  laughed  at  your  credulity.  I'll 
show  you  your  fool-spot,  Baron.  Those  who 
are  false  to  others  never  understand  that  others 
may  be  false  to  them.  There  is  always,  Baron, 
a  blind  self-conceit  that  goes  with  deep-rooted 
villainy.  Beware  of  delay.  I  have  said — 
much." 

Grumkow  still  smiled,  and  after  trying  in 
vain  to  induce  the  Margrave  to  admit  that  the 
letter  might  possibly  be  a  forgery,  took  another 
course. 

"I  am  sure  the  king  will  agree  to  the  mar- 
riage with  the  Hereditary  Prince  of  Bayreuth, 
but  I  doubt  if  he  can  be  brought  to  do  so  to- 
night. Now,  my  dear  Margrave,"  continued 
Grumkow,  almost  begging  for  the  favor  he  was 
asking,  "give  us  till  the  day  after  to-morrow 
at  noon. ' ' 

"Granted,"  said  the  Margrave,  with  a  con- 
descending, magnanimous  air. 

"And  my  dear  Margrave,  although  the  let- 


OF   OLD   BRANDENBURG          353 

ter  of  which  you  have  spoken  is  an  infamous 
forgery,  it  might  make  trouble  for  me,  there- 
fore I  would  place  this  condition  to  the  king's 
consent ;  the  letter  must  be  delivered  to  me  to- 
morrow. ' ' 

"Baron,  I  do  not  thank  you  for  the  compli- 
ment to  my  intelligence,"  answered  Adolph, 
looking  up  at  Grumkow  reproachfully.  "On 
the  day  the  princess  leaves  the  court,  the  wife 
of  the  Hereditary  Prince  of  Bayreuth,  you 
shall  have  the  letter.  Meantime  you  must  trust 
me,  but  if  you  do  not  want  to  trust  me, — well 
and  good.  Take  your  own  course.  I  shall 
attend  the  little  fete  at  which  you  are  hanged 
with  a  great  deal  of  joy,  and  in  the  evening,  will 
celebrate  the  event  with  much  beer — much." 

Then  Grumkow  insisted  that  the  letter  should 
be  delivered  when  the  king's  consent  was  ob- 
tained, but  the  Margrave  laughed  at  him,  and 
he  was  forced  to  be  content  with  the  promise 
our  knight  had  given.  The  adroit  Margrave 
had  in  truth  shackled  the  devil. 

When  the  Parliament  was  seated,  and  after 
the  Tabagians  had  smoked  the  first  pipe,  Grum- 
kow rose.  Addressing  the  king  and  the  mem- 
bers, he  urged  in  the  name  of  domestic  peace 
and  national  policy  that  the  king's  friends  ad- 
vise his  Majesty  to  accede  to  the  queen's 

23 


354  A    GENTLE    KNIGHT 

wishes,  and  to  send  a  commission  forthwith  to 
Bayreuth,  offering  the  hand  of  the  Princess 
Wilhelmina  to  the  Hereditary  Prince.  Grum- 
kow's  speech  was  the  keynote,  and  other  mem- 
bers of  The  Tabagie  supported  his  proposition, 
while  the  king  listened.  Seckendorf  favored  the 
project,  and  when  the  little  minister  succeeded, 
after  many  futile  efforts,  in  getting  the  floor, 
the  good  man  said: 

1  'I  was  loath,  your  Majesty,  to  obey  your 
recent  commands  to  officiate  at  the  betrothal 
of  the  beautiful  princess  to  that  mountain  of 
bestial  and  ungodly  flesh,  the  Margrave  of 
Schwedt,  and  I  am  truly  glad — " 

At  this  point  in  the  little  minister's  speech, 
Adolph,  who  was  standing  behind  him,  touched 
him  on  the  shoulder  and  said : 

"The  Margrave  of  Schwedt  did  what  you 
would  have  left  undone,  you  canting  little  hypo- 
crite. He  refused  the  hand  of  the  princess 
because  her  heart  did  not  go  with  it." 

The  little  minister  had  not  seen  Adolph 
standing  behind  him,  and  the  Margrave 's  words 
so  startled  him  that  he  turned  in  terror,  fearing 
that  he  might  suffer  the  fate  of  "Weissenfels. 
He  stared  blankly  for  a  moment,  and  then  sat 
down  without  uttering  another  word.  Adolph 
was  becoming  a  terror. 


OF    OLD   BRANDENBURG          355 

Since  the  eventful  day  of  the  interrupted  be- 
trothal, Adolph  had  risen  hour  by  hour  in  the 
opinion  of  all  who  knew  him,  and  when  he 
checked  the  little  minister  in  his  uncalled-for 
attack,  the  members  of  the  Parliament  ap- 
plauded with  loud  acclaim:  "Bravo,  Schwedt!" 
"Bold  Margrave!"  "Vive  le  Schwedt!11  and 
Adolph  swelled  mightily  in  the  chest. 

After  a  moment's  silence,  he  bowed  and 
said  in  answer  to  the  plaudits  of  his  friends : 

"I  thank  you — much." 


CHAPTER  XX 

THE  STRANGE  MAN  FROM  SCHWEDT 

No  definite  action  was  taken  that  night  at 
The  Tabagie,  though  Grumkow  tried  very  hard 
to  bring  it  about.  There  could  be  no  doubt 
about  his  sincerity ;  he  was  intensely  in  earnest. 
Perhaps  his  deep  anxiety  was  part  of  the  cause 
of  his  failure.  But  King  Frederick  William 
was  stubborn  and  did  not  speak  three  words 
during  the  entire  session.  The  meeting  was 
broken  up  early,  and,  in  a  surly  mood,  the  king 
went  to  the  queen's  boudoir. 

The  next  day  was  eventless,  as  far  as  the 
Margrave  and  Grumkow  knew.  During  the 
afternoon  of  the  second  day,  Grumkow,  who 
had  been  diligently  seeking  Adolph,  found  him 
at  Zur  Groszen  Wurst,  and  begged  for  an  ex- 
tension of  time.  The  Margrave,  who  was  com- 
fortably drunk,  replied  sternly: 

"Not  another  hour.  This  day  at  six  o'clock 
the  curtain  falls  on  the  career  of  Baron  Grum- 
kow unless  by  that  time  the  king's  consent  to 
the  marriage  has  been  given." 

Grumkow  begged  and  argued  for  nearly  an 
hour,  during  which  time  the  Margrave  was 

256 


OF    OLD   BKANDENBURG          357 

growing  more  drowsy  every  moment.  The  per- 
sistent baron  did  not  cease  his  importunities, 
but  pleaded  until  he  saw  that  the  clock  had 
struck  three  for  the  worthy  potentate  of 
Schwedt,  and  that  Adolph  was  asleep.  Grum- 
kow  tried  to  arouse  him,  but  failed. 

No  one  else  was  in  the  room,  so  first  making 
sure  that  the  Margrave  could  not  be  aroused, 
Grumkow  locked  the  door  and  stood  for  a  mo- 
ment watching  the  fallen  hero.  Murder  was 
the  thing  he  longed  to  do,  but  recalling  Adolph 's 
warning,  he  felt  sure  that  the  letter  and  the 
evidence  against  him  would  at  once  be  placed 
before  the  king  if  harm  befell  the  sleeping  man. 

While  watching  the  Margrave,  Grumkow  con- 
ceived the  happy  thought  that  the  troublesome 
letter  might  be  on  his  enemy's  person,  so  he 
determined  to  investigate.  In  one  of  the  Mar- 
grave's pockets,  Grumkow  found  three  pen- 
knives; in  another  pocket  were  several  affec- 
tionate letters  from  the  Margravine,  some  of 
which  seemed,  to  the  baron's  excited  imagina- 
tion, to  confirm  all  that  Adolph  had  said  about 
the  letter  and  the  supporting  evidence.  He 
also  found  Wilhelmina's  note  to  Fritz  Henry. 
It  was  in  a  little  pocket  over  Adolph 's  heart. 
In  another  pocket  he  found  an  apple  and  a  few 
dried  figs,  and  last,  but  not  least,  in  a  deep 


358  A   GENTLE   KNIGHT 

pocket  of  the  Margrave's  coat  tail,  the  prime 
minister  of  Frederick  William  found  two  huge, 
treasonable  looking  link  of  sausage.  Disgusted 
and  disappointed,  Grumkow  threw  the  sausage 
to  the  floor,  left  the  Margrave  and  set  out  to 
find  the  king,  whom  he  had  failed  to  see  during 
the  day. 

When  Grumkow  found  his  Majesty,  he  at 
once  broached  the  subject  nearest  his  heart,  and 
begged  the  king  to  give  his  consent  to  the  Bay- 
reuth  marriage. 

"I  sent  Braum,  Grote  and  Meyer  to  Bayreuth 
early  yesterday  morning  to  arrange  the  treaty 
with  the  Margrave,"  said  the  king.  "It  isn't 
necessary  to  make  the  fact  public  till  we  know 
the  result  of  the  embassy." 

Grumkow  breathed  a  sigh  of  relief,  and 
wished  most  heartily  that  the  Margrave  of 
Schwedt  were  sober.  He  hurried  back  to  Zur 
Groszen  Wurst  and  took  his  place  beside 
Adolph,  determined  to  impart  the  glad  intelli- 
gence just  as  soon  as  the  Margrave  was  able  to 
receive  it. 

The  happy  moment  did  not  come  until  near 
the  hour  of  eight,  and  Grumkow  could  almost 
feel  the  headsman's  axe  against  his  neck.  When 
the  Margrave's  drowsy  eyes  began  to  open,  the 
baron  felt  like  dancing  for  joy. 


OF   OLD   BRANDENBUKG         359 

"Is  it  too  late?  Is  it  too  late?"  he  asked. 
"Is  the  person  holding  the  letter  going  to  the 
king?  It  is  now  eight  o'clock.  Is  it  too  late? 
My  dear,  sweet  Margrave,  is  it  too  late?" 

Considerable  time  was  required  by  the  Mar- 
grave in  opening  his  eyes  and  his  mind.  His 
mouth  was  opened  many  time  in  cavernous 
yawns,  but  it  seemed  to  the  baron  that  intelli- 
gence would  never  return  to  his  despised  enemy. 
At  length  the  Margrave  became  receptive,  and 
answered  the  baron's  oft-repeated  question  by 
asking  another: 

"Has  the  king  consented?" 

"Yes,"  eagerly  returned  Grrumkow.  "An 
embassy  started  for  Bayreuth  yesterday  morn- 
ing to  arrange  the  treaty,  but  I  did  not  learn  of 
it  until  this  evening.  Is  it  too  late?" 

On  hearing  the  baron's  news,  light  came  to 
the  Margrave's  mind  in  a  great  flood,  and  in- 
stantly he  was  wide  awake.  He  rose  slowly  to 
his  feet,  pressed  his  hand  over  his  heart,  and 
murmured  as  if  in  prayer: 

"Du  lieber  Gott!  Help  me;  help  me!"  In 
a  moment  he  turned  to  Grrumkow,  saying:  "If 
what  you  have  told  me  is  true,  it  is  not  too  late ; 
at  least,  I  think  it  is  not  too  late.  I  feel  sure  I 
shall  be  able  to  communicate  with  my  friend, 
and  if  I  can — " 


360  A   GENTLE   KNIGHT 

" Waste  not  a  moment!  Go,  go,  my  dear 
Margrave,  my  sweet  Margrave,  go!"  said 
Grumkow,  almost  beside  himself  with  fear.  "I 
have  the  king's  word.  The  embassy  has  gone 
to  Bayreuth  and  the  marriage  shall  be  cele- 
brated. I  swear  it!  Before  God,  I  swear  it 
shall  be  celebrated!" 

"In  that  case,  I  am  sure  it  is  not  too  late," 
sighed  Adolph.  "I'll  go  at  once,  but  if  you  try 
to  follow  me,  I  go  not  a  step. ' ' 

"In  God's  name,  go!"  cried  Grumkow.  "I 
will  remain  here." 

In  stooping  to  the  floor  to  take  up  his  hat, 
the  Margrave  noticed  two  large  links  of  sausage 
lying  beside  his  chair.  He  stared  vacantly  at 
them  for  a  moment,  felt  his  coat  pockets, 
and  turned  to  Grumkow,  saying  drowsily,  re- 
proachfully, contemptuously : 

"Did  you  find  anything  you  wanted  in  my 
pockets  I ' ' 

Grumkow  protested,  but  Adolph,  pointing  to 
the  sausage,  insisted:  "There  is  the  evidence 
against  you ;  you  stole  my  sausage.  I  hope  you 
don't  think  I  am  so  great  a  fool  as  to  get  myself 
drunk  with  money  in  my  pocket,  when  I  am 
expecting  Baron  Grumkow  to  visit  me.  You 
found  only  a  few  pennies.  Bid  you  take  them  f 
Perhaps  you  expected  to  find  the  letter,  but  I 


OF   OLD   BBANDENBUBG          361 

can  hardly  believe  that  you  would  pay  me  the 
poor  compliment  of  supposing  that  I  would  keep 
the  letter  about  me  where  you  could  steal  it. ' ' 

Grumkow  would  have  enjoyed  murdering  the 
Margrave,  but  he  dared  not,  so  he  smiled,  kept 
his  anger  well  hidden  in  his  heart,  and  said: 

* '  I  pray  you,  Margrave,  go  at  once.  That  is 
a  good  fellow.  Lose  not  a  moment's  time." 

Adolph  hurried  to  his  room  in  the  palace, 
rearranged  his  toilet,  and  sought  the  queen, 
who  confirmed  Grumkow 's  words.  Then  he 
went  back  to  his  room  and  went  to  bed. 

While  in  the  queen's  parlor,  Adolph  had  seen 
the  Princess  Wilhelmina,  and  she  had  gra- 
ciously given  him  her  hand  to  kiss.  Her  smile 
was  to  Adolph  what  the  light  of  heaven  is  to  a 
wandering  soul,  but  leaving  it  was  like  going 
into  outer  darkness. 

Amid  all  the  Margrave's  suffering,  there  was 
one  gleam  of  joy,  pure,  sweet  and  genuine.  It 
radiated  from  the  ever  luminous  thought  that 
she  whom  he  loved  would  be  happy,  and  that  her 
happiness  would  all  have  come  through  him. 
But  as  usual  with  him  nowadays,  he  lay  moan- 
ing until  sleep  came  to  his  relief,  for  the  heart 
of  a  child  throbbed  in  the  breast  of  this  strange 
man  from  Schwedt. 

The  next  morning,  very  early,  Adolph  started 


362  A   GENTLE   KNIGHT 

in  a  carriage — he  could  not  ride  horseback — for 
Spandau  Castle  to  carry  the  glad  news  to  Fritz 
Henry.  Owing  to  the  bad  condition  of  the  roads 
he  did  not  reach  Spandau  till  nightfall,  when  he 
sought  out  his  friend  and  told  him  of  the  hap- 
piness in  store  for  him.  Henry  could  not  leave 
the  castle  till  morning,  so  the  friends  sat  up  all 
night,  and  the  Margrave  recited  in  detail  the 
marvelous  events  of  the  past  week.  At  first 
Henry  thought  that  Adolph's  mind  had  been 
touched  by  a  gentle  frenzy,  but  he  was  soon 
convinced  that  the  honest  fellow  was  speaking 
the  truth,  and  his  joy  was  so  great  that  for  a 
time  it  was  almost  benumbing. 

The  next  day,  Henry  obtained  leave  of  ab- 
sence and  started  on  horseback  for  Berlin,  the 
Margrave  following  in  a  carriage.  Henry  was 
delayed  on  the  road,  and  did  not  reach  the 
palace  until  an  hour  before  dark.  He  found 
Sonnsfeld  and  told  her  that  affairs  of  the 
greatest  importance  made  it  necessary  for  him 
to  see  the  princess  as  soon  as  possible.  He 
supposed  the  Margrave  had  told  Wilhelmina 
that  he  was  the  Hereditary  Prince  of  Bayreuth, 
but  he  was  not  sure,  so  he  intended  to  make 
certain  by  telling  her  himself.  On  reaching 
Berlin,  he  expected  to  tell  her  also  that  he  was 
returning  to  Bayreuth  to  complete  arrange- 


OF    OLD    BRANDENBURG          363 

ments  for  their  marriage.  He  did  not,  how- 
ever, intend  to  impart  either  piece  of  informa- 
tion to  any  one  else. 

He  said  to  Kate:  "I  will  go  to  the  doorway 
at  the  foot  of  the  stairs,  and  hope  the  princess 
will  come  to  me  at  the  earliest  possible  moment 
after  dark." 

Henry  had  been  waiting  perhaps  half  an  hour 
when  the  princess  came  from  the  door  and  ran 
to  his  arms.  Under  such  conditions,  persons 
are  apt  to  forget  what  they  had  most  desired 
to  say,  and  that  is  just  what  happened  to  Henry. 
After  a  few  moments  of  incoherent  ecstasy,  he 
said: 

"So  the  marriage  is  really  arranged!  It  is 
almost  too  good  to  be  true." 

Wilhelmina  was  not  prepared  for  such  enthu- 
siasm on  Henry's  part  over  her  prospective 
marriage,  but  she  supposed  his  joy  was  of  a 
negative  quality,  growing  out  of  the  fact  that 
she  was  not  to  marry  August  of  Saxony.  The 
Hereditary  Prince  of  Bayreuth  was  so  much 
the  less  of  two  evils  that  she  supposed  Henry 
rejoiced  because  of  her  escape  from  the  greater. 
Still,  his  very  evident  happiness  seemed  an 
excess  of  joy  and  hurt  her. 

Henry  continued  his  congratulations,  mingled 
with  fervid  love,  and  forgot  that  perhaps  the 


364  A   GENTLE    KNIGHT 

princess  did  not  know  lie  was  the  Hereditary 
Prince  of  Bayreuth.  In  the  urgent  press  of 
more  important  matters,  he  failed  to  tell  her, 
and  she,  taking  alarm  from  approaching  foot- 
steps, hurriedly  reentered  the  palace  without 
learning  that  interesting  fact.  Henry  had  also 
neglected  telling  her  that  he  was  going  at  once 
to  Bayreuth,  and  the  omissions  did  not  occur 
to  him  until  he  saw  his  father  nearly  three  days 
later. 

Henry  forgot  another  important  matter,  too, 
when  he  left  Berlin  that  evening,  accompanied 
by  a  private  in  the  Grenadier  Regiment,  and 
taking  with  him  two  of  the  king's  horses.  He 
failed  to  ask  the  king's  permission,  but  his  for- 
getfulness  was  natural  under  the  circumstances. 

The  day — six  or  seven  months  before — on 
which  Henry  was  captured  by  Prussian  recruit- 
ing officers  might  prove  to  be,  after  all,  the 
luckiest  of  his  life. 

The  ride  from  Berlin  to  Bayreuth  was  a  hard 
one  because  of  rains  and  intolerable  roads,  but 
Henry  was  happy  and  regretted  only  one  fact 
— that  he  could  not  fly.  He  was  anxious  to 
reach  Bayreuth  before  Frederick  William's 
ambassadors  left,  but  he  failed  by  nearly  a  day. 

The  Margrave  of  Bayreuth  was  filled  with 
joy  and  surprise  when  his  son  ran  into  the 


OF   OLD   BRANDENBURG          365 

castle  and  embraced  him.  Henry  had  already 
learned  that  the  Prussian  ambassadors  had 
returned  to  Berlin. 

"  Ah,  father,  it  is  almost  too  good  to  be  true," 
said  Henry,  holding  his  father  at  arm's  length. 
"You  will  not  believe  my  story.  Sit  here  in 
the  windowseat,  and  listen  while  I  tell  you. ' ' 

The  Margrave  and  his  son  took  their  seats  in 
the  window,  and  Henry  began  his  story. 

*  'After  I  left  here  I  was  captured  by  brigands, 
who  turned  out  to  be  Frederick  William's  re- 
cruiting officers.  I  did  not  know  who  my  cap- 
tors were  until  I  stopped  at  a  tavern  near  Ber- 
lin and  was  told  by  the  Margrave  of  Schwedt. 
When  I  reached  Berlin,  I  was  undecided  what 
course  to  pursue  until  I  saw  the  Princess  Wil- 
helmina;  then  I  fell  in  love  with  her  at  once, 
and  of  course,  determined  to  remain.  Strange 
as  it  may  seem  to  you,  and  marvelous  as  it  still 
is  to  me,  she  returned  my  love.  We  had  no 
hope  of  ever  belonging  to  each  other;  but  I'll 
tell  you  the  whole  story  when  I  have  more 
time." 

"Did  you  know  of  the  king's  intentions  be- 
fore you  left  Berlin?"  asked  the  Margrave. 

"Yes,"  returned  Henry.  "I  learned  it  three 
days  ago,  and  started  for  home  at  the  earliest 


366  A   GENTLE    KNIGHT 

possible  moment  after  the  embassy  left  Berlin. 
I  had  hoped  to  get  here  before  they  left." 

"Why  did  not  the  king  speak  directly  to 
you?"  asked  the  father. 

"Why?  Because — because — "  answered 
Henry,  confusedly;  "why,  he  didn't  know  who 
I  was.  I  enlisted  in  the  regiment  under  an 
assumed  name,  and  no  one  at  the  court  of  Ber- 
lin knew  that  I  was  your  son." 

"Did  the  princess  know  who— 

Henry  lifted  his  hand  to  interrupt  his  father : 
' l  Surely  I  am  the  greatest  living  fool, ' '  said  he, 
dropping  his  words  slowly,  and  pausing  in 
amazement  at  his  own  stupidity.  "I  rode  to 
Berlin  from  Spandau  for  the  purpose  of  telling 
her,  but  when  I  saw  her  I  was  so  insane  with 
joy  that  I  forgot  my  purpose  in  the  rush  of — of 
other  things.  What  will  she  think?"  After  a 
long,  meditative  pause,  he  continued:  "But  the 
Margrave  of  Schwedt  will  have  told  her  before 
this,  and  I  need  not  worry  over  my  neglect. 
What  did  you  say  to  the  ambassadors?" 

"I  accepted  the  king's  offer  upon  the  con- 
dition that  I  could  find  you.  I  told  them  I 
had  heard  nothing  from  you  since  you  left  home 
several  months  ago,  but  I  assured  them  I 
should  find  you  at  once,  and  that  the  marriage 
should  take  place  just  as  soon  as  possible  after 


OF   OLD   BRANDENBURG          367 

your  return.  I  knew  you  would  gladly  con- 
sent. " 

"Ah,  father,  you  cannot  know  how  gladly  I 
do  consent.  She  is  the  most  beautiful,  the 
purest,  truest,  gentlest  girl  on  earth.  I  tell 
you,  father,  there  is  not  her  like  this  side  of 
heaven. J ' 

"I  believe  a  great  deal  of  what  you  say  is 
true,"  returned  the  Margrave,  smiling. 

' '  It  is  all  true, ' '  insisted  Henry,  indignantly. 

"I  am  sure  it  is,"  said  the  Margrave,  "and 
I  am  glad  that  you  think  it  is.  But  we  are  los- 
ing time.  I  must  write  a  letter  to  the  king,  tell- 
ing him  you  have  returned,  and  accepting  his 
offer  unconditionally." 

Henry  was  quite  of  his  father 's  opinion.  The 
letter  was  soon  written  and  placed  in  the  hands 
of  a  fleet  messenger,  who  would  have  no  diffi- 
culty in  overtaking  the  ambassadors  before 
they  reached  Berlin. 

The  ambassadors  had  expressed  the  king's 
desire  that  the  betrothal  should  take  place  at 
once,  even  if  the  ceremony  must  he  performed 
with  a  proxy  for  the  Hereditary  Prince.  There- 
fore, the  letter  contained  instructions  to  the 
Margrave's  ambassador,  who  was  returning 
with  the  Brandenburgers,  to  act  as  Henry's 
proxy  in  the  betrothal  ceremony  if  the  king 


368  A   GENTLE    KNIGHT 

desired  it  to  take  place  before  Henry's  arrival 
at  Berlin.  The  letter  also  stated  that  Henry 
would  reach  Berlin  one  week  from  the  date  of 
writing. 

Grumkow  was  anxious  to  get  possession  of 
Adolph's  dangerous  letter,  so  when  the  ambas- 
sadors arrived  at  Berlin,  he  urged  the  king  to 
hasten  the  nuptials.  The  protests  of  the  queen 
and  Wilhelmina  were  of  no  avail,  and  the  day 
of  the  Hereditary  Prince's  expected  arrival  was 
set  for  the  betrothal,  to  be  followed  a  few  days 
later  by  the  marriage  ceremony. 

Captain  Churchill's  sudden  departure  without 
leave  had  created  trouble  in  two  quarters.  The 
king's  wrath  knew  no  bounds.  Death  in  a 
hundred  forms  was  too  good  for  such  a  traitor- 
ous villain.  To  desert  his  own  post  was  bad 
enough,  but  to  take  with  him  one  of  his  Ma- 
jesty's tallest  Grenadiers,  Johann  Yaupts,  who 
stood  six  feet  eight,  was  theft,  robbery,  treason 
— every  crime  in  the  calendar.  It  was  worse 
than  murder,  and  the  villain  should  be  hunted 
throughout  all  Europe,  and  crucified, — yes,  by 
the  devil,  crucified. 

Wilhelmina  was  sure  that  evil  had  befallen 
her  lover,  but  at  times  a  fear  that  he  had  proved 
faithless  flashed  across  her  mind,  and  brought 
an  ache  to  her  Heart.  The  latter  hypothesis 


OF    OLD   BRANDENBURG          369 

seemed  to  be  strengthened  by  Henry's  exhibi- 
tion of  joy  over  her  prospective  marriage. 

Don't  Care  explained  the  handsome  captain's 
desertion  by  intimating  that  he  had  pressed  his 
suit  on  her  to  a  point  where  she  had  grown  tired 
of  his  importunity,  and  that  he  had  run  away 
in  despair.  That  theory  of  the  case  did  not 
appeal  to  Wilhelmina  and  it  disgusted  Sonns- 
feld.  In  truth,  Mina's  faith  in  Henry  always 
triumphed  and  drove  doubt  from  her  heart, 
leaving  her  with  the  cold  fear  that  an  untoward 
fate  had  befallen  her  lover.  She  tried  to  see 
the  Margrave,  but  he  and  his  mother  had  left 
the  court  to  visit  a  friend  living  a  few  miles 
from  Berlin,  whose  beer  was  so  good  that  it 
was  famous  throughout  all  Brandenburg. 

Poor  Adolph,  despite  the  fact  that  the  beer 
was  good,  told  his  mother  that  the  days  spent 
away  from  Berlin  were  days  of  grief  and  sor- 
row, yearning  and  pain. 

"Ach,  Mutter  liebling,  why  did  you  not  leave 
me  at  Schwedt?  I  was  happy  there,  but  now  I 
shall  never  know  a  joyful  moment  in  all  the 
days  of  my  life.  I  believed  you  when  you  said 
she  would  grow  to  love  me,  and  after  we  reached 
Berlin,  I  believed  you  when  you  told  me  that 
you  knew  from  her  kindness  she  was  learning 
the  sweet  lesson.  I  believed  you,  though  I 

24 


370  A   GENTLE   KNIGHT 

knew  in  my  heart  you  were  wrong.  I  believed 
you  because  I  longed  to  believe,  but  I  was  a  fool. 
You  remember  that  day  at  Schwedt  you  told  me 
I  was  a  fool?  Good!  You  were  right." 

"Don't  upbraid  me,  liebling,"  pleaded  the 
loving  old  mother;  "I  thought  I  was  right,  and 
God  knows  I  have  no  wish  in  all  my  heart  save 
a  longing,  a  yearning,  a  bleeding  for  your  hap- 
piness. Ach,  my  dear  son,  you  are  all  in  the 
world  to  me.  Don't  hate  me,  or  I'll  die — I'll 
die!" 

' '  Mother,  mother ! ' '  cried  the  Margrave,  hur- 
rying to  her  chair  and  kneeling  by  her  side. 
"I  do  not  upbraid  you.  I  could  not  hate  you. 
You  are  all  that  I  have  on  earth.  I  love  you, 
my  mother,  oh,  I  love  you,  and  if  it  were  not 
for  you,  I  should  want  to  die. ' ' 

He  wound  his  arm  about  her  neck,  rested  his 
head  on  her  loving  breast,  and  lifting  her  hand 
to  his  lips,  kissed  her  fingers  affectionately. 

She  stroked  his  hair,  saying,  "Do  not  grieve; 
do  not  grieve,  or  you  will  break  my  heart." 

"I  will  not  grieve,"  answered  the  Margrave, 
kissing  his  mother,  rising  to  his  feet,  and  whist- 
ling to  hide  his  pain,  because  it  pained  her. 

Two  o  'clock  of  the  day  the  Hereditary  Prince 
of  Bayreuth  was  expected  to  arrive  was  set  for 


OF    OLD   BRANDENBURG         371 

the  betrothal  ceremony.  Gloom  and  sadness 
pervaded  the  entire  court,  for  it  was  known  to 
all  that  Wilhelmina  was  grieving  because  she 
was  to  be  forced  to  plight  her  troth  to  a  man  she 
had  never  seen,  and  of  whom  she  had  heard 
none  but  unfavorable  accounts.  The  queen  was 
almost  heartbroken,  because  the  coming  be- 
trothal was  the  death-knell  to  her  hopes  of  an 
English  marriage. 

The  Hereditary  Prince  had  been  expected  to 
arrive  in  the  morning,  but  his  failure  to  appear 
did  not  stop  preparations  for  the  betrothal 
ceremony.  In  case  he  did  not  arrive,  the 
special  envoy  from  Bayreuth  would  act  as  his 
proxy. 

Again  the  Mirrored  Chamber  was  crowded 
with  the  nobility  of  Brandenburg,  awaiting  the 
betrothal  of  the  Princess  Wilhelmina.  The 
hour  for  the  ceremony  arrived.  The  king,  the 
queen,  the  Crown  Prince  and  Don't  Care  were 
ranged  as  on  the  former  occasion.  The  bril- 
liantly dressed  audience  stood  in  silence.  Still 
the  Hereditary  Prince  did  not  arrive. 

A  few  minutes  before  two  o'clock,  the  king 
began  to  show  signs  of  irritation. 

' '  Let  the  ceremony  proceed  with  the  proxy, ' ' 
ordered  his  Majesty.  "The  roads  are  so  bad 
that  our  fine  gentleman  may  have  stuck  in  the 


mud.  Doubtless  he  has  tried  to  come  like  a 
woman,  in  a  carriage,  and  has  been  unable  to 
get  through  on  time.  Let  the  ceremony  pro- 
ceed, I  say.  Go  on ! " 

As  on  the  former  occasion,  the  princess  came 
down  the  aisle,  but  this  time  she  was  walking 
in  the  dark  to  plight  her  troth  to  a  man  she  had 
never  seen.  She  at  least  knew  the  worst  that 
could  befall  her  when  she  had  expected  to  marry 
the  Margrave  of  Schwedt,  but  now  it  was  like 
plunging  into  an  abyss,  and  she  was  almost 
dumb  with  fear  and  grief. 

Henry  might  have  saved  the  princess  this 
pain  by  telling  her  that  he  was  the  Hereditary 
Prince  of  Bayreuth,  but  perhaps  it  was  well  that 
he  did  not,  for  had  she  betrayed  her  happiness, 
the  king  and  the  queen  might  have  changed 
their  minds,  or  Don't  Care  might  have  con- 
cluded to  take  back  her  prince,  and  all  would 
have  been  lost.  There  seemed  to  be  a  belief  on 
the  part  of  Mina's  parents  that  the  gratifica- 
tion of  her  desires,  under  any  circumstances, 
would  be  an  injury  to  her,  an  affront  to  their 
dignity,  and  a  blow  to  parental  authority  in 
general. 

The  side  door  opened  and  the  unhappy  prin- 
cess was  moving  down  the  aisle  on  the  arm  of 
the  prince's  proxy,  when  the  front  door  opened, 


OF   OLD   BRANDENBUKG         373 

and  Fritz  Henry — who  had  stopped  at  a  tavern 
to  make  a  hasty  change  of  clothing — entered, 
clad  in  the  gorgeous  uniform  of  his  father's 
court. 

Some  one  announced:  "The  Hereditary 
Prince  of  Bayreuth ! ' ' 

At  once  there  came  from  all  parts  of  the 
room  the  cry :  ' '  The  Hereditary  Prince  of  Bay- 
reuth! His  Highness  has  arrived!" 

Wilhelmina  and  the  proxy  bridegroom 
reached  the  open  space  in  front  of  the  king  just 
as  the  cry  resounded  through  the  hall.  Those 
who  saw  Henry  and  recognized  him  began  to 
murmur  their  delight,  for  he  was  liked  at  court, 
and  a  whisper  of  the  love  between  him  and  the 
princess  had  in  some  manner  got  abroad.  He 
hurried  to  the  front,  knelt  before  their  Majes- 
ties, and  said: 

"I  almost  killed  my  horses  trying  to  get  here 
on  time,  but  I  am  here,  though  a  little  late,  and 
make  my  homage  to  your  gracious  Majesties." 

Don't  Care  looked  at  Henry  in  astonishment, 
quickly  turning  to  disgust,  but  did  not  speak. 

"What  does  this  mean?"  demanded  the  king, 
rising  angrily  and  approaching  Henry  in  a 
threatening  manner.  His  Majesty  had  not  fully 
understood  the  announcement  of  the  Prince's 
arrival ;  at  least,  he  had  not  connected  him  with 


374  A   GENTLE    KNIGHT 

his  deserting  captain  now  kneeling  before  the 
dais. 

The  king  shook  his  fist  in  Henry's  face,  ex- 
claiming angrily:  "You  deserted  from  my 
regiment,  and  you  took  one  of  my  tallest  troop- 
ers. You  stole  two  of  my  horses,  and  now  you 
come  back  and  apologize  for  being  late.  What 
does  it  mean  f  Answer  me ! ' ' 

"I  have  brought  back  your  trooper  and  your 
horses,"  returned  Henry,  "and  I  have  also 
brought,  as  a  present  from  my  father,  ten  men, 
two  of  whom  are  taller  than  Johann  Yaupts. 
These  troopers  all  have  better  horses  than  those 
I  took  away,  and  I  have  returned  to  enlist,  first 
in  the  service  of  the  princess,  and  after  her,  in 
the  service  of  your  Majesties  for  life." 

With  this  he  turned  to  Wilhelmina,  whose 
surprise  had  almost  deprived  her  of  the  power 
of  thought,  and  taking  her  hand,  lifted  it  to  his 
lips. 

"Explain!"  cried  the  king,  half  in  anger,  half 
in  doubt.  "What  does  this  mean?  Who  are 
you?" 

"He  is  the  Hereditary  Prince  of  Bayreuth!" 
cried  Adolph  of  Schwedt,  elbowing  his  way 
through  the  crowd,  and  bowing  before  the  king. 
"Yes,  he  is  Henry,  the  Hereditary  Prince  of 
Bayreuth.  I  present  him  to  your  Majesties." 


OF    OLD    BRANDENBURG          375 

Then  turning  to  the  assembled  company,  he 
shouted:  "Vive  le  Bayreuth!  Vive  le  Bay- 
reuth!" 

At  once  the  refrain  was  taken  up,  and  the 
happy  cry  resounded  through  the  room  for 
several  minutes. 

When  silence  reigned  again,  Henry  said  to 
the  king:  "I  supposed  your  Majesty  knew  who 
I  was.  I  felt  sure  the  Margrave  of  Schwedt  had 
told  you.  In  my  happiness  I  forgot  to  do  so 
when  I  left.  The  Margrave  is  right.  I  am  the 
Hereditary  Prince  of  Bayreuth." 

The  king  looked  at  Henry  for  a  moment,  and 
turning  to  his  chair  sat  down,  as  a  shout  of  joy 
sprang  from  the  assembled  company,  like  the 
tones  of  a  single  mighty  voice. 

When  all  was  quiet  again,  the  king,  still  grop- 
ing about  in  the  haze  of  surprise,  seemed 
able  to  catch  sure  hold  of  but  one  fact,  and  to  it 
he  gave  utterance : 

"Ach,  Gott,  he  isn't  afraid  of  the  devil!" 

His  Majesty,  still  groping  in  the  mist,  soon 
caught  another  fact,  and  it  at  once  became 
articulate.  He  spoke  in  a  whisper  to  the  little 
minister — he  of  The  Tabagie — saying: 

"Go  on  with  the  ceremony,  you  fool !  Go 
through  with  it  quickly.  I  want  to  see  the  new 
recruits!" 


376  A   GENTLE   KNIGHT 

So  these  twain,  who  loved,  were  betrothed, 
and  in  their  joy,  forgot  all  about  the  friend  who 
had  made  their  happiness  possible.  Surely  the 
history  of  the  world  shows  no  more  unselfish 
love  than  that  which  dwelt  in  the  heart  of 
Johann  Adolph,  Margrave  of  Schwedt  and 
Knight  of  Brandenburg. 

And  now  the  story  is  nearly  told. 

Don't  Care  avoided  Henry  for  several  days 
after  the  ceremony,  but  at  last  came  up  to  him, 
and  said: 

"So  he's  tall  and  thin,  and  his  eye  rolls,  and 
he  is  pious?  Bah!  I  don't  care.  Wilhelmina 
is  welcome  to  you.  It  is  all  true  and  more.  I 
don't  care." 

When  invitations  were  sent  out  for  the  mar- 
riage ceremony,  the  princess  and  Henry  wrote 
a  joint  letter  to  the  Margrave,  who  had  returned 
to  his  mother  and  the  good  beer  in  the  country, 
inviting  him  to  be  the  guest  of  honor  during  the 
marriage  festivities.  He  replied  in  a  joyous 
letter,  and  returned  at  once  to  the  palace,  where 
he  seemed  to  be  the  happiest  of  a  very  happy 
throng.  He  would  not  mar  Wilhelmina 's  hap- 
piness by  allowing  her  to  think  that  he  was 
miserable,  and  succeeded  so  well  in  deceiving 
her  that  one  evening  she  said  to  Henry : 


377 

"I  am  glad  our  friend,  the  Margrave,  has 
forgotten  what  he  thought  was  his  love  for  me." 

"I,  too,  am  glad,"  answered  Henry,  though 
he  was  not  so  sure  that  the  Margrave  had  for- 
gotten. 

At  length  the  wedding  day  came.  The  cere- 
mony was  performed  and  the  wedding  break- 
fast was  eaten  amid  great  joy,  with  the  Mar- 
grave as  the  central  figure  at  the  royal  table. 
Ah,  it  was  a  rare  day  for  Adolph !  He  was  the 
hero  of  the  occasion  and  far  outshone  the  bride- 
groom. 

When  the  bride  and  the  bridegroom  separated 
to  prepare  for  the  journey  to  Bayreuth,  the 
princess  whispered  to  the  Margrave: 

"We  shall  expect  to  see  you  at  the  carriage, 
and  saving  my  mother,  you  shall  have  the  last 
farewell.  But  now  I  give  you  this  miniature  of 
myself  as  a  token  of  my  gratitude  and  love. ' ' 

The  Margrave  hurried  to  his  room — the  old 
garret  he  had  formerly  occupied — and  seated 
himself  at  the  window.  Leaning  his  elbows  on 
the  window  bench,  he  sat  gazing  down  on  the 
garden.  With  aching  heart  he  watched  the 
marble  steps  in  front  of  the  great  doors,  from 
which  the  carriage  would  soon  depart,  bearing 
away  from  him  forever  the  woman  he  loved. 

There  he  sat  through  two  long  hours,  hardly 
conscious  that  time  was  passing,  so  slowly  did 


378  A   GENTLE    KNIGHT 

the  minutes  drag.  Wilhelmina's  miniature  was 
in  his  hand  and  frequently  was  on  his  lips,  but 
he  gazed  down  ever  at  the  great  doors,  hardly 
knowing  that  he  suffered,  so  great  was  his  pain. 

At  length  the  carriage  drove  to  the  marble 
steps;  the  great  doors  opened  and  the  princess 
came  forth,  radiant  with  joy  that  Adolph  had 
purchased  for  her  at  a  cost  to  him  of  more 
than  life  itself. 

" Where  is  the  Margrave  of  Schwedt?"  she 
asked. 

"He  is  not  here,"  answered  Sonnsfeld. 

' '  Fetch  him !  Fetch  him ! ' '  cried  the  princess. 
"I  cannot  leave  without  saying  farewell  to 
him." 

Messengers  were  sent  out,  but  he  could  not 
be  found,  so  the  princess  drove  off,  happy  as 
the  birds  at  dawn,  without  saying  good-bye  to 
poor,  broken-hearted  Adolph.  He  had  not 
dared  trust  himself  to  say  farewell,  but  watched 
her  through  streaming  tears,  as  the  postillion 
cracked  his  whip  and  bore  her  out  of  his  life 
forever. 

"Ach,  Gott!  Ach,  Gott!"  he  cried  from  the 
depths  of  his  anguish;  then  as  the  carriage 
drew  out  of  sight  his  head  fell  forward  on  his 
bended  elbows,  and  he  sobbed  till  his  troubles 
were  over,  for  Adolph 's  heart  was  broken;  the 
Margrave  of  Schwedt  was  dead. 


Mr.  CHARLES  MAJOR'S  NOVELS 

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Dorothy  Vernon  of  Haddon  Hall 

Dorothy  is  a  splendid  creation,  a  superb  creature  of  brains,  beauty, 
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the  fairest,  fiercest,  strongest,  tenderest.heroine  that  ever  woke  up  a  jaded 
novel  reader  and  made  him  realize  that  life  will  be  worth  living  so  long  as 
the  writers  of  tjction  create  her  like.  .  .  .  The  story  has  brains,  '  go,' 
virility,  gumption,  and  originality."— The  Boston  Herald. 

A  Forest  Hearth.    A  Romance  of  Indiana 
in  the  Thirties 

"  It  is  a  vigorous,  breezy,  outdoor  book,  with  the  especial  intimate 
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Yolanda,  Maid  of  Burgundy 

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volume  is  a  genuine  romance  .  .  .  and  after  the  reviewer  has  be- 
come surfeited  with  problem  novels,  it  is  like  coming  out  into  the  sun- 
light to  read  the  fresh,  sweet  story  of  her  love  for  Max." — The  World 
To-day. 


BOOKS  FOR  BOYS 
Uncle   Tom  Andy  Bill.     A  Story   of 

Bears  and  Indian  Treasure 

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when  it  comes  to  writing  books  about  boys  for  boys.  .  ,  .  The  story 
is  a  true  and  lively  picture  of  life  half  a  century  ago  in  what  is  now  the 
Middle  West,  but  was  then  the  frontier  " — The  Outlook. 

The  Bears  of  Blue  River 

"  Mr.  Major's  book,  with  its  vivid  pictures  of  pioneer  life  in  the  Middle 
West,  deserves  to  become  a  juvenile  classic.  ...  It  is  wholesome 
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I  should  finally  say  of  his  work  is  that  it  is  more  broadly  based 
than  that  of  any  other  American  novelist  of  his  generation.  .  .  . 
Mr.  Herrick's  fiction  is  a  force  for  the  higher  civilization  which 
to  be  widely  felt  needs  only  to  be  widely  known." 


The  Gospel  of  Freedom 


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broad  and  very  much  up-to-date  sense,  that  has  ever  been  contributed 
to  American  fiction." — Chicago  Inter-Ocean. 

The  Web  of  Life 

"  It  is  strong  in  that  it  faithfully  depicts  many  phases  of  American  life. 
and  uses  them  to  strengthen  a  web  of  fiction,  which  is  most  artistically 
wrought  out."— Buffalo  Express. 

Jock  o'  Dreams,  or  the  Real  World 

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to  the  verities  in  doing  so,  the  strange  dream-like  quality  of  life  to  the 
man  who  has  not  yet  fought  his  own  battles,  or  come  into  conscious 
possession  of  his  will — only  such  battles  bite  into  the  consciousness."— 
Chicago  Tribune. 

The  Common  Lot 

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soul  the  reader  watches.  .  .  the  finest  study  of  human  motive  that 
has  appeared  for  many  a  day." — The  World  To-day 

The  Memoirs  of  an  American  Citizen. 

Illustrated  with  about  fifty  drawings  by  F.  B.  Masters 

"  Mr.  Herrick's  book  is  a  book  among  many,  and  he  comes  nearer  to  re 
fleeting  a  certain  kind  of  recognizable,  contemporaneous  American 
spirit  than  anybody  else  has  yet  done." — New  York  Times. 


Together 


*"  An  able  book,  remarkably  so,  and  one  which  should  find  a  place  in  the 
library  of  any  woman  who  is  not  a  fool."— Editorial  in  The  New  York 
American 


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think  that  some  of  his  pages  would  have  been  like  some  of  these.  Here 
certainly  is  language,  turn  of  humor,  philosophical  play,  vigor  of  inci- 
dent such_as  might  have  come  straight  from  Elizabeth's  clay.  .  .  .  The 
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ing indeed." — Chicago  Tribune. 

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a  nobly  optimistic  ending."— Book  News  Monthly 


By  FRANK  DANBY 

The  Heart  of  a  Child  cioth  91.50 

BEING  PASSAGES  FROM  THE  EARLY  LIFE 
OF  SALLY  SNAPE,  LADY  KIDDERMINSTER 

'  Frank  Danby'  has  found  herself.  It  is  full  of  the  old  wit,  the  old 
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Bohemia  of  London;  but  it  is  also  full  of  a  new  quality,  the  quality  of 
imaginative  tenderness  and  creative  sympathy.  It  is  delightful  to  watch 
the  growth  of  human  character  either  in  life  or  in  literature,  and  in 
'  The  Heart  of  a  Child'  one  can  see  the  brilliancy  of  Frank  Danby  sudden- 
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quisite and  delicate.  .  .  .  It  is  a  mixture  of  naturalism  and  romance, 
and  one  detects  in  it  the  miraculous  power  ...  of  seeing  things 
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F.  MARION  CRAWFORD'S  Last  Novel 
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By  WILLIAM  ALLEN  WHITE 
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A  story  of  the  development  of  a  little  western  town,  dominated  by  a 
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By  MABEL  OSGOOD  WRIGHT 
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It  tells  the  story  of  a  girl  who  grew  up  in  New  York  in  the  years 
following  the  Civil  War.  The  scene  alternates  between  the  town  and 
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